Story  of  the  Morning  Star. 


Mifim  \i/u,i 


Uo  spake  to  his  disciples  that  a small  ship  should  wait  on  him.* 


13  0 G 1 0 n : 

PUm.ISIIF.D  BY  THE  AMERICAN  BOARD  OF  COMmSSIONF^ 
FOR  FOREIGN  MISSIONS.  ' •*** 


ISfiB. 


STOEY  OF  THE  MOENING  STAE, 


Sn)c  d)ilbrcn’s  iUissionorn  Oesscl. 


BY 

REV.  HIRAM  BINGHAM,  Jr., 

MISSIONARY  TO  M1CROSE3U. 


BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE  AMERICAN  BOARD. 
Missiosart  House,  33  Pemberton  Square. 

1866. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1866,  by 
The  American  Board  op  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions, 
the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  District  of  Massachusetts 


RITERSIDE,  CAMBRIDGE  : 
STEREOTYPED  AND  PRINTED  BY 
H.  0.  HOUGHTON  AND  COMPANY 


TO  THOSE  WHO  BUELT  THE  FIRST  MOEXING  STAR, 


AND 

TO  THOSE  WHO  WISH  TO  BUILD  AXOTHER. 


My  dear  y'Oung  Friends,  — You  have  all  heard  of  the  mis- 
sionarv'  vessel  that  was  sent  to  the  Pacific  Ocean  in  1856 ; not  a few 
of  you  took  stock  in  her.  Perhaps  you  have  read  about  her  in  the 
“ Missionary  Herald,”  the  “ Journal  of  Slissions,”  the  “ Youth’s  Day- 
spring,” the  “ Friend,”  or  in  a book  written  by  Mrs.  Warren.  Well, 

the  little  craft  has  been  sold.  She  was  almost  worn  out;  and  it  was 

thought  better  to  build  a new  vessel  than  to  repair  the  old  one. 

As  I was  the  first  missionary  that  went  to  sea  in  her,  and  have 
known  her  ever  since,  the  Secretaries  of  the  American  Board  a few 
week.s  ago  requested  me  to  write  a short  story  about  her,  in  order  that 
you  may  see  how  much  good  she  has  done,  and  so  be  all  the  more  glad 
to  aid  in  building  another  Morning  Star  to  take  her  place. 

From  the  shortness  of  the  time  allowed  me,  to  say  nothing  of  my 
imperfect  health,  1 should  have  been  unequal  to  the  task,  had  I not 
received  much  assistance  from  others.  A great  deal  of  tliis  I have 
bad  from  one  who  has  known  the  ^forning  Star  as  long  as  1 have, 

and  has  Ijeen  my  companion  in  nearly  all  my  voyagings  in  her;  and  I 

take  pleasure  also  in  saying  that  kind  friends'  at  the  Missionary  House 
have,  by  their  valued  suggestions  and  criticisms,  and  in  other  ways, 
addeil  not  a little  to  the  interest  which  this  “ Story  of  the  Morning 
Stiir  ” may  be  thought  to  possess.  Such  as  it  is  I offer  it  to  you. 
And  my  prayer  is  that  it  may  lead  you  to  pity  the  heathen  more 
deeply  than  ever.  May  I not  hope  that  you  will  think  more  of  that 
love,  so  great,  so  free,  which  has  made  it  possible  for  them,  as  well  as 
for  you  and  me,  to  see  the  Isird  Jesus  in  hLs  Heavenly  kingdom ! 

11.  B.,  Jr. 


Missionary  House,  May  19M,  1806. 


EXPLANATORY  NOTE. 


Those  who  desire  to  pronounce  the  native  words  found  in  the  fol- 
lowing pages  as  they  are  pronounced  in  the  Pacific,  will  please  to 
remember  that 


a is  generally  like  a in  father. 


e IS 
i is 
o is 
u is 
ai  is 
au  is 
n is 


“ a in  late. 

“ i in  ravine. 
“ 0 in  note. 

“ 00  in  pool. 

“ i in  fine. 

“ ow  in  now. 

“ ng  in  sing. 


As  the  names  of  certain  islands  will  occur  very  fi-equently,  I will 
add  that, 


Ponape  is  to  be  pronounced  nearly  as  if  written  Po'-nah-pa.* 
Kusaie  “ “ Koo-sy'-a.* 

Ebon  “ “ A-bone. 


Apaiang  “ “ Ap-py-i\hng. 

Tarawa  “ “ Tar'-rah-wah. 


Please  to  notice  the  marks  which  show  where  the  accent  is  to  be 
placed. 


* The  final  a in  these  two  words,  as  also  A in  A-bonc,  has  the  sound  of  a 
in  late. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE 

THE  LANDS  THE  MORNING  STAR  WAS  TO  A'lSlT  ...  7 

CHAPTER  II. 

THE  I>p;OPLE  SHE  WAS  TO  VISIT U 

CHAPTER  III. 

WHAT  HAD  BEEN  DONE  BEFORE  HER  VISIT  . . . .14 

CHAPTER  IV. 

WHY  SHE  AVAS  NEEDED 20 

CHAPTER  V. 

HER  VOYAGE  AROUND  CAPE  HORN 22 

CHAPTER  VI. 

SHE  VISITS  THE  MARQUESAS  ISLANDS 2-5 

CHAPTER  VII. 

SHE  SETS  OUT  FOR  MIURONESI.V 28 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

HEP.  VISIT  TO  KUSAIE 33 

CHAPTER  IX. 

HER  VISIT  TO  PON  APE 

CHAPTER  X. 

HER  VISIT  TO  APAIANG 39 

CHAPTER  XI. 


HER  VISIT  TO  EBON 


42 


VI 


CONTENTS, 


CHAPTER  XII. 

PASX 

WAITING  FOR  THE  MORNING  STAR 45 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

HER  YEARLY  VISITS 52 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

SOME  THINGS  SHE  BROUGHT,  AND  HOW  WE  USED  THEM  . 55 

CHAPTER  XV. 

MICRONESIANS  WHO  SAILED  IN  HER 60 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

HER  LAST  VISIT  TO  THE  MARQUESAS  ISLANDS  . . .64 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

HER  LAST  VISIT  TO  MipRONESIA 67 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

CONCLUSION 69 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


THE  MORNING  STAR 
THE  EVENING  STAR  .... 
THE  MORNING  STAR  OFF  EBON 
MAP  OF  EASTERN  MICRONESIA 
GILBERT  ISLAND  MANEABA 
WELCOME  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR  . 

A MARSHALL  ISLANDER  . 

MISSION  STATION  AT  APAIANG 
GILBERT  ISLAND  WARRIORS  . 

SUNDAY  MORNING  ON  APAIANG 

MR.  snow’s  departure  FROM  KUSAIE 


Front  Cover 
Back  Cover 
Title-Page 
. 9 

. 17 

. 29 
. 31 
. 41 
. 47 
. 51 
. 63 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  LAXDS  SHE  WAS  TO  VISIT. 

When  Balboa,  in  1513,  first  looked  upon  the  mighty 
Pacific  from  a mountain-top  on  the  Isthmus  of  Panama, 
and  called  it  the  South  Sea,  how  little  did  he  know 
of  the  thousands  of  islands  which  studded  its  jilacid 
bosom,  stretching  ten  thousand  miles  towards  the  setting 
sun  ! No  Captain  Cook,  or  Marshall,  or  Gilbert,  or  any 
one  else,  had  described  them,  or  even  seen  them.  Now, 
however,  enough  could  be  told  about  them  to  fill  many 
large  books. 

On  one  of  them  I was  born;  and  as  you  speak  of 
America  as  your  native  land,  so  I sometimes  speak  of 
the  Pacific  as  my  birthplace  and  childhood -home. 
There  too  was  the  field  of  my  labors  as  a missionary, 
and  there  the  Morning  Star  has  been  going  about  on 
her  eiTands  of  love. 

The  Pacific  is  so  large  that  people  who  make  geog- 
raphies have  divided  it  into  several  portions.  One 
they  call  Polynesia,  which  means  “ many  Islands ; ” 
and  another  they  call  Micronesia,  wliich  means  “ little 
islands.”  In  both  divisions  we  find  some  high  islands ; 
but  many  are  mere  coral  reefs.  The  Ladrone  and  some 
of  the  Caroline  Islands  are  high ; but  the  Gilbert  and 
Marshall  Islands  are  all  low.  One  of  the  missionaries 
has  beautifully  described  this  island  world,  by  saying, 


8 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


“ The  whole  is  studded  with  ocean  gems,  as  if  the 
niiiTor  of  the  starry  sky  above  it.” 

Come  with  me,  wliile  I take  you  to  those  parts  of 
the  Pacific  which  your  little  vessel  has  visited.  We 
will  start  from  New  York,  in  a steamer,  for  Aspinwall 
on  the  Isthmus  of  Panama.  This  we  can  reach  in 
eight  days ; and  there  we  will  take  the  cars  across  the 
Isthmus,  passing  not  far  from  the  mountain  where  Bal- 
boa first  saw  the  Pacific.  By  steamer  we  shall  reach 
S;m  Francisco  in  thirteen  days.  Thence  we  will  go 
in  a sailing  vessel  toward  the  southwest.  With  a 
good  wind,  we  shall  have  sailed  more  than  twenty-five 
hundred  miles  in  ten  or  twelve  days,  and  shall  have 
I’eached  the  liigh,  volcanic  island  of  Hawaii. 

Now  let  us  imagine  that  from  the  toj)  of  ^launa 
Kea,  (nearly  three  miles  high,)  which  I once  tried  to 
reach,  but  did  not,  we  are  looking  off  far  towainl  the 
south.  If  the  world  was  flat,  and  we  had  eyes  sharp 
enough,  we  should  see  the  Marquesas  Islands,  about  two 
thousand  miles  distant,  — high,  rugged,  volcanic.  Look- 
ing off  toward  the  southwest,  we  should  see  the  Mi- 
cronesian  Islands,  the  nearest  of  which  are  more  than 
two  thousand  miles  away,  and  the  farthest  more  than 
four  thousand. 

Let  us  dwell  upon  this  beautiful  sight.  Some  of 
these  islands,  you  see,  are  clustered  together  in  groups; 
while  some  may  be  called  “ lone  isles  of  the  sea.” 
Some  of  them  are  volcanic ; and  by  this  we  mean  that 
the}-  have  been  made  by  the  lava  which  is  thrown  up 
by  volcanoes  in  the  sea.  These  are  generally  covered 
with  forests  ; and  on  them  you  would  find,  if  j'ou  could 
go  there,  lovely  valleys,  babbling  brooks,  birds  of  bright 
plumage  and  sweet  song.  You  would  also  find  trees 
that  yield  figs,  limes,  oranges,  bread-fruit,  bananas,  and 
guavas.  Pine-apples,  melons,  yams,  and  sweet  pota- 
toes, } ou  would  expect  to  see,  of  course,  in  great  abun- 
dance. 


MAI>  OF  RASTEUN  MICRONESIA, 


I 

IL 

f 

t 


i 

« 

I 

I 

i 


10 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAB. 


The  larger  part  of  the  islands  of  Micronesia  are  low 
coral  islands ; and  they  have  all  been  built  up  by  animals. 
These  bttle  creatures  began  their  work,  if  such  it  may 
be  called,  on  the  side  of  some  island,  high,  low,  or  sub- 
mei^ed,  not  more  than  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet 
below  the  surface  of  the  sea.  And  when  the  founda- 
tion upon  wliich  they  were  building,  sunk  slowly  down 
into  the  deep  water,  (for  all  these  islands  are  believed 
to  have  sunk,)  the  patient  workers  kept  right  on,  striv- 
ing to  reach  the  surface,  till  at  last  they  gained  the 
victory.  Tlie  dry  land,  if  any,  had  disappeared  ; the 
fruit  of  their  labor  alone  remained  ! What  a monument 
to  the  industry  and  skill  of  these  wonderful  architects ! 
Evenwvhere  in  Micronesia,  therefore,  you  will  find  coral 
Islands,  most  of  them  with  a great  lake  or  lagoon  in  the 
centre,  so  that  you  might  call  them  “ hollow  islands.” 
These  central  lakes  are  generally  connected  with  the 
ocean  by  one  or  more  ship-channels.  In  the  largest  of 
these  all  the  navies  of  the  world  might  anchor  with 
{perfect  safety.  The  rims  of  land  which  surround  the 
lagoons  are  very  narrow ; so  that  you  might  run  across 
them  in  three  or  four  minutes.  The  soil  is  poor,  and 
often  very  barren.  There  are  no  springs,  no  running 
streams,  no  hills ; and  there  are  but  few  land-birds  and 
few  rtowers.  Cattle,  sheep,  and  goats  can  live  there 
but  a short  time ; but,  strange  to  say,  multitudes  of 
human  beings  have  their  homes  there.  Alas,  in  what 
darkness  ! 


The  immense  Pacific  smiles. 
Round  ten  thousand  little  isles 
II. mats  of  violence  and  wiles.” 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


11 


CHAPTER  U. 

THE  PEOI’LE  SHE  WAS  TO  VISIT. 

I HAVE  told  you  of  the  regions  to  which  the  Morning 
Star  was  bound.  It  is  time  to  speak  of  the  people  to 
whom  she  was  going  ; for  men  are  worth  a great  deal 
more  than  the  lands  in  which  they  live. 

You  have  all  heard  about  the  Sandwich  Islanders,  or 
Hawaiians,  — how  they  cast  away  their  idols,  and  how 
they  became  a Christian  nation  in  less  than  thirty  years 
after  the  first  missionaries  (of  whom  my  father  was  one) 
went  among  them. 

The  Marquesas  Islanders  are  much  like  the  Hawaiians 
in  looks  and  language  ; and  before  the  latter  received  the 
Gospel  their  religion  was  much  the  same.  In  one  respect, 
however,  they  were  verj’  different.  Few  of  the  latter 
were  ever  cannibals,  while  the  former  were  universally  so. 
Dr.  Gulick  places  the  Marquesans  among  the  “ more 
sprightly  and  intelligent  of  the  Polynesian  tribes.”  “Their 
free  democracy  from  earliest  days,  fostered  by  their  se- 
questered valleys,”  he  says,  “ has  been  the  great  outer 
obstacle  to  the  Gospel ; but  it  has  given  them  an  inde- 
pendence, and  a certain  firmness  of  character,  which 
renders  them  less  impressible  to  foreign  motives  and  in- 
fluences, and  has  given  a subsoil  to  cultivate,  from  which 
we  may  hope  for  growths  of  some  permanence.  We  see 
this  in  those  who  have  been  converted.  The  mien  and 
conversation  of  several  of  them  is  that  of  men  convinced, 
and  ready  to  stand  by  their  convictions,  even  in  the  face 
of  the  scoffer  from  foreign  lands.” 

The  people  of  the  different  groups  of  Micronesia  have 


12 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


some  things  in  common  ; but  in  other  things  they  differ 
greatlj'.  They  are  much  alike  in  color ; they  arc  some- 
what alike  in  looks,  in  religion,  in  manners,  and  customs. 
The  Gilbert  and  Marehall  Islanders  are  of  the  usual  size ; 
the  Strong’s  Islanders  (Kusaieans)  are  rather  smaller.  Mr. 
Damon  says  that  the  Marshall  Islanders  are  “ unmistak- 
ably of  Japanese  extraction,”  and  the  Gilbert  Islanders 
“ most  strikingly  like  the  Ilawaiians.” 

If  you  would  paint  one  of  the  Micronesians,  you  must 
give  him  a dark  skin,  — here  copper,  there  olive  ; you  must 
make  his  hair  straight  and  black  ; you  must  make  his  eyes 
black  also  ; and  you  must  be  sure  not  to  forget  the  “ tattoo  ” 
marks  on  his  body,  of  which  he  is  so  very  proud. 

The  people  of  one  group  cannot  understand  the  language 
of  another  ; but  the  missionaries  find  that  many  words  are 
common  to  all  the  groups.  It  sometimes  happens  that  the 
men  living  on  these  islands  are  drifted  away  in  their  canoes 
to  a great  distance  ; but  they  soon  learn  to  converse  in 
any  new  tongue  which  they  have  occasion  to  use.  You 
know,  of  course,  that  before  the  missionaries  visited  them 
the)'  had  no  books  ; neither  could  they  read  or  write,  so 
dark  were  their  minds ; but,  alas,  their  hearts  were  darker 
still  ! 

The  unconverted  Micronesians  are  all  liars.  The  fathers 
lie,  the  mothei-s  lie,  and  the  children  lie.  Indeed,  they 
seem  just  as  ready  to  deceive  as  to  speak  the  truth.  They 
are  much  disposed  to  steal,  moreover.  They  steal  from 
one  another,  from  the  ships  which  visit  them,  and  fre- 
quently fi’om  missionaries  who  live  among  them.  In  their 
way  they  are  very  covetous.  They  know  very  little  about 
nice  houses,  railroads,  bank-stocks,  fine  horses,  and  fine 
clothes  ; but  they  are  greedy  of  fishhooks,  tobacco,  plane- 
irons,  large  knives,  scented  oils,  and  beads.  They  often 
treat  their  women  with  great  cruelty,  beating  them,  stab- 
bing them,  making  slaves  of  them.  The  little  children, 
for  the  most  part,  have  mueh  kindness  shown  to  them ; 
but  I am  sorry  to  say  that  they  do  not  honor  their  fathers 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


13 


and  their  mothers.  And  I will  add  that  very  little  respect 
is  paid  to  old  people.  They  generally  treat  strangers 
kindly,  offering  food  and  drink  to  those  who  call  on  them. 

None  of  the  Micronesians  are  cannibals ; but  they  are 
very  passionate  and  revengeful.  Hence  they  are  much 
^iven  to  fijilitine:  and  killins;  one  another.  A great  manv 
murders  are  committed  every  year. 

The  Micronesians  can  hardly  be  called  idolaters ; that 
is,  they  do  not  bow  “ down  to  wood  and  stone ; ” but  they 
are  heathen  nevertheless,  and  they  woi'ship  false  gods.  I 
think  we  might  call  them  “ spiritualists.”  They  believe 
there  are  a great  many  spirits  which  have  to  do  with  them. 
They  set  up  stones  in  honor  of  them,  (see  one  of  these 
stones  in  the  e.\treme  left  of  the  picture  oppcjsite  page  16,) 
and  often  make  offerings  of  food  to  them ; for  they  are 
much  afraid  of  them.  Some  persons  profess  to  hold  in- 
tercourse with  these  spirits.  In  the  Gilbert  Islands  the 
priests  decide  that  a spirit  is  present,  not  by  his  knocking, 
as  some  people  in  America  do,  but  by  his  whistling. 

They  have  many  superstitions  which  it  would  take  a 
whole  book  to  describe  ; but  I have  said  enough  to  give 
you  some  idea  of  the  tribes  which  the  Morning  Star 
was  to  visit.  I have  said  enough  to  show  you  that  the 
Micronesians  were  poor  heathen,  needing  the  Bible  to  tell 
them  that  Jesus  had  died  to  save  them  as  well  as  us.  You 
see  that  such  people  could  not  be  happy  in  heaven.  The 
blood  that  cleanseth  from  all  sin,  must  be  sprinkled  upon 
them  before  they  can  be  admitted  to  that  holy  place. 


14 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


CHAPTER  III. 

WH.\T  HAD  BEEN  DONE  BEFOKE  HER  VISIT. 

I HAVE  told  you  what  kind  of  people  the  Micronesians 
were ; and  I have  shown  you  how  much  they  needed  the 
Bible.  Now  let  us  see  what  Christians  had  done  to  give 
them  the  Gospel  before  the  children  sent  the  Morning 
Star  to  them.  Of  what  had  been  done  for  the  Marque- 
sans  I will  speak  in  another  place. 

When  the  Hawaiians  became  a Christian  people,  not  a 
few  of  them  were  willing  to  cany  the  Gospel  to  others 
who  were  ignorant  of  it,  as  they  themselves  had  been  ; 
and  the  missionaries  were  glad  to  have  them  do  this,  in 
order  that  the  churches  to  which  they  belonged  might 
take  a more  active  part  in  the  salvation  of  the  world,  and 
receive  a better  training  for  all  good  works  at  home. 
They  could  not  well  go  to  China,  or  India,  or  Japan  ; 
for  those  countries  were  far  off,  and  their  languages  were 
hard  to  learn.  The  islands  of  which  we  have  been  speak- 
ing were  very  small,  it  is  true ; but  they  were  much 
nearer,  and  the  people  were  more  like  themselves,  in 
manners,  and  habits,  and  ways  of  living.  To  these,  there- 
fore, it  was  decided  that  some  of  them  should  be  sent,  and 
with  them  a few  Americans,  to  cheer  and  counsel  them, 
to  translate  the  Scriptures,  and  to  prepare  books. 

For  this  purpose  three  men,  Mr.  Snow,  Dr.  Gulick. 
Mr.  Sturges,  and  their  wives,  sailed  from  the  Uniteil 
States  for  Micronesia,  the  two  former  in  1851,  and  the 
latter  early  in  1852.  Tliey  went  first  to  the  Sandwich 
Islands.  While  they  were  there,  two  Hawaiians,  Kaai- 
kaula  and  Opunui,  with  their  wives.  Debora  and  Doreka, 
were  selected  to  accompany  them  to  iLcronesia. 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


15 


But  how  should  they  get  to  their  field  of  labor  ? There 
were  no  ships  going  back  and  forth  between  the  Sand- 
wich Islands  and  any  of  the  groups  of  Micronesia.  It 
seemed  best,  therefore,  to  buy  a small  schooner,  which 
might  take  them  there,  and  carry  supplies  to  them  after- 
wards. Her  name  was  the  Caroline;  and  in  July,  1852, 
tliese  five  men  and  their  wives  set  sail  for  their  future 
home.  Mr.  Clark,  one  of  the  older  missionaries  at  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  and  Kekela,  pastor  of  a church  on 
Oahu,  went  to  help  them  in  getting  a foothold,  after 
which  they  were  to  return  again. 

That  you  may  know  more  about  this  Kekela,  I will  say 
that  he  was  educated  (as  I was  in  part)  by  the  kindness 
of  a Boston  merchant,  once  an  officer  of  the  brig  Thad- 
detii),  which  took  the  first  missionaries  to  the  Sandwich 
Islands.  He  has  been  for  many  years,  and  is  now,  a 
missionary  to  the  Marquesas  Islands.  Just  before  he 
sailed  in  the  Caroline,  he  made  a public  address,  which 
will  give  you  some  idea  of  the  man.  “ I am  a native 
of  these  islands,”  he  said.  “ My  parents  were  idolaters, 
and  I was  born  in  times  of  darkness.  A short  time  ago 
all  our  people  were  heathen ; they  worshipped  a great 
variety  of  gods ; they  were  engaged  in  war ; they 
were  addicted  to  stealing  and  robbery.  Man  and  wife 
did  not  live  together  and  eat  together,  as  now  ; they 
took  no  care  of  their  children.  . . . But  a great  light 
has  arisen  over  us.  . . . The  Bible  has  driven  away  our 
darkness,  overturned  our  heathenish  customs,  and  caused 
a great  improvement  in  our  condition.  Because  the  Word 
of  Gocl  has  been  given  us  in  our  own  language,  we  have 
learned  to  read  ; and  all  the  people  have  learned  to  read 
it,  old  and  young.  It  has  been  scattered  all  over  the  land, 
and  taught  all  the  people  to  do  right.  Therefore  the 
people  live  peaceably ; parents  take  some  care  of  their 
children  ; the  Sabbath  is  observed ; the  laws  are  regarded, 
and  all  dwell  securely.  . . . What,  then,  is  more  rea- 
sonable than  that  we  Hawaiians  should  e.'ttend  to  other 


16 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


nations  in  this  ocean  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel  ? Those 
tribes  are  now  what  we  were  a short  time  ago, — degraded, 
wretched  idolaters.  Shall  we  not  have  pity  on  them,  as 
the  people  of  God  in  the  United  States  have  had  pity  on 
us  ? ” 

The  Caroline  touched  first  at  Butaritari,  or  Pitt’s  Island, 
in  the  Gilbert  group.  On  going  ashore,  the  missionaries 
visited  the  maneaba,  (large  council-house.)  Learning  that 
there  were  just  such  buildings  on  other  islands,  they  could 
not  help  remarking  to  each  other,  — “ Here  are  houses  for 
public  Christian  worship  already  erected,  waiting  for  those 
who  shall  proclaim  the  word  of  life.”  Not. that  the  peo- 
ple had  any  such  thought ; but  God’s  ways  are  not  as  our 
ways.  How  well  they  were  adapted  to  such  a use,  you 
will  learn  from  the  picture  on  the  opposite  page.  You 
have  before  you  an  immense  roof,  resting  upon  large 
coral  stones,  some  three  feet  from  the  ground,  neatly 
thatched  with  the  pandanus  leaf. 

But  though  there  were  a great  many  people  on  this 
island,  as  also  on  other  islands  of  this  group,  the  mis- 
sionaries were  not  ready  to  lea\e  any  of  their  number 
there.  And  so  they  passed  on,  some  six  liundred  miles, 
to  Strong’s  Island,  or,  £is  the  natives  call  it,  Kusaie,  a per- 
fect “ gem  of  the  sea,”  of  whicli  I .shall  say  more  hereafter. 
Here  they  decided  to  leave  Mr.  Snow  and  Opunui. 

These  brethren  were  very  kindly  received  by  the  high- 
est chief  of  the  island,  who  was  called  King  George.  He 
could  speak  a little  English,  and  so  could  some  of  his 
people.  The  missionaries  were  surprised  at  this,  when 
they  remembered  how  seldom  the  Kusaieans  had  seen 
either  Americans  or  Englishmen. 

Let  me  give  you  a specimen  of  King  George’s  English. 
He  was  telling  the  missionaries  how  he  had  forbidden  the 
making  of  intoxicating  drinks  : and  this  is  what  he  said  : 
“ Plenty  white  men  speak  me,  ‘ Very  good,  tap  cocoa-nut- 
tree  ; get  toddy.’  Me  say,  ‘ No  ; no  good.’  Plenty  men 
get  drunk  on  shore  ; too  much  row ; me  like  all  quiet. 


OIUIKItT  ISI,\M>  MWKAItA. 


18 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


No  tap  cocoa-nut-tree  on  Strong’s  Island.’  ” I am  sure 
you  will  say  that  King  George  was  a wise  ruler,  even 
though  you  may  think  his  English  somewhat  rough  and 
jagged.  And  he  deserves  this  testimony  also,  that  he 
was  always  kind  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Snow  and  their  com- 
panions. He  had  promised  to  be  “ all  same  father  ” to 
them,  and  lie  kept  his  word.  Tliey  were  very  sorry 
when  he  died  ; but  they  hoped  that  he  was  prepared  for 
the  “ better  home.”  His  dying  charge  to  his  son  and  the 
other  chiefs  was,  “ Take  good  care  of  the  missionaries.” 

After  the  visit  of  the  Caroline  to  Strong’s  Island,  she 
went  some  three  hundred  miles  farther  west  to  Ascen- 
sion Island,  or,  as  the  natives  call  it,  Ponape.  This  is 
one  of  the  largest  islands  in  Micronesia.  It  is  high 
and  very  fertile ; and  the  inhabitants  at  that  time  were 
supposed  to  be  about  ten  thousand.  The  missionaries 
had  been  afraid  that  they  might  not  be  able  to  land ; 
but  the  way  was  open,  and  Mr.  Sturges,  Dr.  Gulick, 
Kaaikaula,  and  their  wives,  commenced  their  work  im- 
mediately on  that  dark  shore. 

In  1855  jVIr.  Doane  and  Kamakahiki,  with  their 
wives,  sailed  from  Honolulu  in  a whale-ship,  to  join 
the  mission  on  Ponape.  The  same  year  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Pierson,  from  the  United  States,  reached  Honolulu  on 
their  way  to  Kusaie.  They  did  not  know  when  or 
how  they  could  get  there  from  the  Sandwich  Islands; 
but  God  had  provided  a wmy.  The  baripie  Belle  was 
soon  to  cruise  near  that  island,  and  the  captain  kindly 
consented  to  take  them  on  board.  Kanoa  and  his  wife 
Kaholo,  both  of  them  Ilawaiians,  went  with  them. 

But  I must  tell  you  more  of  this  barque  Belle  ; for 
it  was  she  that  prepared  the  way  for  sending  the  Gos- 
pel to  the  low  islands  of  Micronesia.  She  touched  at 
several  of  the  Gilbert  Islands ; and  in  this  way  Dr.  Pier- 
son and  Kanoa  were  able  to  learn  much  about  them. 
They  found  that  a great  many  people  lived  there, 
although  the  soil  would  not  produce  garden  vegetables  ; 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


19 


and  Dr.  Pierson  thought  that  missionaries  might  live 
there  too.  “ They  are  the  last  persons,”  he  said,  “ to 
choose  a field  because  it  is  easy.”  Both  he  and  Mrs. 
Pierson  were  willing,  therefore,  to  return,  and  occupy 
one  of  them  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

The  Belle  next  proceeded  to  the  Mai-shall  Islands ; 
and  there  Dr.  Pierson  became  acquainted  with  a lead- 
ing chief,  called  Kaibuke,  and  with  his  sister,  Nemair. 
No  white  men  were  then  living  in  that  group  ; and  as 
this  chief  had  promised  to  take  care  of  him,  if  he  would 
live  there,  he  felt  that  it  might  be  his  duty  to  do  so. 
“ To  us,”  he  said,  “ the  field  seems  exceedingly  inviting; 
and  we  doubt  not  it  will  prove  so  to  any  one  who  may 
be  allowed  the  privilege  of  teaching  this  people  the 
way  of  life.” 

The  Belle  arrived  at  Kusaie  on  the  6th  of  October, 
1855 ; and  Dr.  Pierson  began  to  labor  there,  hoping, 
nevertheless,  to  return  to  the  Marshall  Islanders  at  an 
early  day.  Next  April  a fleet  of  canoes  which  had  gone 
adrift,  with  many  of  these  very  people  on  board,  reached 
Kusaie,  and  with  them  he  became  well  acquainted. 
After  a few  montlis,  they  set  out  for  their  homes,  dis- 
tant some  three  hundred  miles;  but  Dr.  Pierson  did 
not  think  it  safe  to  go  with  them  in  their  frail  barks, 
fastened  together,  not  with  iron,  but  with  cocoa-nut 
cord,  an<l  using  mats  for  sails.  He  chose,  rather,  to 
wait  for  a safer  conveyance.  Thus  were  the  isles  wait- 
ing for  the  law  of  the  Lord,  — 

“ the  powers  of  darkness  yield. 

For  the  Cross  is  in  the  field. 

And  the  light  of  life  revealed.” 


20 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

WHY  SHE  WAS  XEEDED. 

The  Caroline,  wliich  took  out  the  first  missionaries 
to  iMicronesia,  was  soon  sold  for  lack  of  money  to  sail 
her.  This  was  a sad  blow  to  them  ; for  they  all  felt 
that  they  needed  a ^essel  of  their  own.  Whale-ships, 
it  is  true,  touched  at  their  islands  now  and  then  ; not 
so.  however,  as  to  be  depended  on.  If  you  had  been 
with  them,  you  would  have  felt  just  as  they  did.  Let 
me  tell  you  why. 

A missionary  packet  would  bring  them  tidings  from 
their  native  land.  Mr.  Snow’s  mother  died,  and  it 
was  two  years  before  he  heard  of  it ! IIow,  think  you, 
could  the  missionaries  have  lived  through  our  terrible 
war,  if  they  had  been  obliged  to  wait  two  years  for 
“ the  news  ” ? 

Such  a vessel  would  supply  them  with  proper  food. 
Tliey  needed  salt  meat,  flour,  rice,  sugar,  ami  other 
articles  which  you  have  in  your  pleasant  homes.  Be- 
fore the  iMorning  Star  was  built,  they  sufiered  very 
much  for  the  want  of  these  things. 

Such  a vessel  would  give  the  sick  the  benefit  of  a 
sea-voyage.  Before  the  children  ■ had  built  the  Morn- 
ing Star,  Dr.  Gulick  wrote  home  from  Ponape,  concern- 
ing his  wife,  — “ Her  health  is  gradually  falling.  She 
much  needs  more  exercise  and  relaxation  than  I can 
give  her  here.  Were  it  possible,  I should  wish  her  to 
go  to  the  Sandwich  Islands  for  a time.” 

Such  a vessel  would  be  a protection  to  the  missionaries. 
There  are  a great  many  bad  men  in  the  Pacific ; and 
if  they  should  get  the  idea  that  nobody  cared  for  one 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


21 


of  these  servants  of  Christ,  they  might  rob  him  or  kill 
him.  But  the  Morning  Star  has  told  them  that  thou- 
sands of  good  people,  far  away,  are  looking  after  his 
welfare. 

With  such  a vessel  they  could  preach  Chrutt  more 
freely  to  the  Micronesians.  They  could  go  from  island 
to  island,  where  no  white  man  had  ever  been  ; so  that 
the  first  words  from  strange  lips  should  be  of  “ the  great 
salvation.”  Mr.  Uoane  said,  before  the  ^[orning  Star 
was  sent  to  Micronesia,  that  he  felt  very  much  <is  if 
he  were  in  sight  of  a wrecked  sailor  on  a huge  rock, 
around  which  the  angry  sea  was  dashing  furiously, 
utterly  unable  to  reach  him  ! lie  seemed  to  see  tlie  peo- 
ple beckoning  to  him  to  give  them  the  Bible,  and  yet 
lie  could  not  do  it. 

Let  me  show  you  just  how  the  case  stood  in  1855. 
The  Caroline,  in  taking  missionaries  to  Kusaie  and 
Ponape,  had  passed  the  Gilbert  Islands  on  the  left, 
where  there  were  some  30,000  or  40,000  heathen,  and 
the  Marshall  Islands  on  the  right,  where  there  were 
at  least  10,000.  She  touched,  as  we  have  seen,  for  a 
few  days  at  Butaritari,  one  of  the  most  northerly  of 
the  Gilbert  Blands.  The  missionaries  jiitied  these  poor 
heathen  very  much ; and  they  hoped  that  the  Gos- 
pel would  some  day  be  preached  to  them.  Hawaiian 
missionaries  might  easily  be  found  who  could  live  on 
these  coral  riiiLs ; and  we  liave  seen  that  there  were 
.\inerlcan  missionaries  who  would  be  glad  to  labor  there. 
What  should  be  done?  Should  these  IMarshall  and 
Gilbert  Islanders  be  left,  as  they  had  been  for  so  many 
ages,  to  live  and  die  without  hearing  about  their  Sav- 
iour? If  not,  somebo<ly  must  go  and  live  among  them. 

It  was  decided  to  state  the  case  to  the  children  in 
America,  and  to  ask  them  to  build  a missionary  vessel. 
The  “ little  folks  ” were  all  ready ; and  in  three  montlis 
from  the  laying  of  the  keel,  the  Morning  Star  w;is  in 
trim  for  her  long  voyage  round  Cape  Horn ! 


22 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


CHAPTER  V. 

HER  VOYAGE  AROUND  CAPE  HORN. 

On  the  evening  of  November  30th,  1856,  a farewell 
meeting  was  held  in  Park  Street  Church,  Boston,  at  which 
Captain  Moore  and  his  crew  were  present.  Both  he  and 
myself  were  to  receive  our  “ instructions,”  as  to  where 
we  were  to  go,  and  what  we  were  to  do.  The  house  was 
crowded  with  the  friends  of  the  little  vessel,  who  wished 
to  hear  what  would  be  said  to  us. 

The  first  day  of  winter  was  cold  ; but  many  Christian 
friends  met  on  board  our  missionar\"  packet,  to  bid  her  and 
her  company  “ God  speed  ! ” It  was  not,  however,  till  the 
next  day  that  she  spread  her  white  sails  for  the  long  voy- 
age. (See  the  cover.)  With  deep  interest  we  watched 
the  forms  of  loved  ones,  as  they  stood  on  the  wharves, 
sending  after  us  their  best  wishes.  When  should  we  see 
their  faces  again  ? Though  it  was  a tender  hour,  it  was 
a happy  one.  We  thought  it  a great  privilege  to  be  per- 
mitted to  go  to  the  heathen  in  such  a vessel.  Oh,  how 
many  j)rayei’s  were  offered  by  Jesus’  little  lambs  for  her 
preservation  ! 

We  sailed  beautifully  out  of  Boston  harbor ; but,  not 
long  after,  a dreadfiil  storm  came  upon  us.  The  Morn- 
ing Star  was  forced  to  anchor  under  the  lee  of  Cape 
Cod,  off  Provincetown ; and  so  were  two  other  vessels, 
one  on  each  side  of  her.  The  wind  shifted  during  the 
night ; and  the  next  morning  we  saw  our  two  neighbors 
liigh  up  on  the  shore,  amid  the  breakers.  But  God  had 
taken  care  of  us,  and  the  Morning  Star  held  fast,  and  was 
all  safe  ! Tliere  we  lay  for  three  days,  till  a steamer  from 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


23 


Boston  came  to  our  assistance ; and,  having  towed  us 
around  the  Cape,  she  left  us  to  go  on  our  way  over  the 
stormy  Atlantic. 

When  we  reached  the  South  Atlantic,  we  found  that 
our  fore-yard  was  sprung ; and  so  we  put  into  Rio  Janeiro 
for  rc[)airs.  The  harbor  was  very  beautiful,  and  we  en- 
joyed the  visit,  to  which  the  nice  oranges  and  bananas 
added  not  a little.  On  the  24th  of  February,  we  passed 
Cape  Horn,  where  we  encountered  another  severe  gale. 
But  God  helped  us,  and  in  a few  days  we  had  passed 
the  stormy  Cape,  where  vessels  are  often  detained  for 
weeks. 

Soon  after  entering  the  I’acific,  we  felt  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  was  with  us ; and  ere  we  reached  the  Sandwich  Isl- 
ands, we  hoped  that  some  of  our  company  had  given  their 
hearts  to  the  Saviour.  Our  carpenter  had  been  very  pro- 
fane during  the  early  part  of  the  voyage,  and,  when  reasoned 
with,  he  thought  he  could  not  help  swearing.  But  when 
he  determined  to  become  a Christian,  he  strove  hard  and 
successfully  against  this  great  sin.  Sometimes  he  would 
haul  in  a rope  that  might  be  accidentally  dragging  in  the 
sea,  without  being  told  to  do  it.  And  when  some  of  his 
companions  wondered  at  this,  he  replied  that  the  vessel 
belonged  to  Jesus,  and  he  wished  to  help  take  care  of  it, 
even  if  he  was  not  commanded  by  the  officer  to  do  what 
he  knew  he  ought  to  do.  It  made  us  happy  to  think  that 
God  had  blessed  the  little  vessel  on  her  fii-st  voyage. 

On  the  20th  of  April,  1857,  we  had  our  first  view  of 
the  snow-capped  mountains  of  Hawaii,  distant  more  than 
a hundred  miles.  The  sunrise  was  beautiful,  the  clouds 
beinj;  tinged  with  a gorgeous  crimson,  and  evervthing 
seemed  to  be  in  harmony  with  the  feelings  of  joy  which  we 
e.xperienced,  when,  at  about  six  o’clock,  as  I was  sweeping 
the  western  horizon  with  my  glass,  the  majestic  Maun  a 
Kea  was  distinctly  seen  ! Many  hours  did  we  spend  that 
day  on  deck,  awed  by  the  stupendous  pile  which,  so  far 
away  from  us,  was  piercing  the  clouds. 


24 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


We  passed  Hawaii  on  our  left ; and  the  next  morning 
we  had  Maui  and  Molokai  in  full  view.  As  we  coasted 
along  the  sliore  of  the  latter,  we  were  charmed  with  the 
numerous  cascades  which  rushed  down  the  rocky  precipices 
near  the  sea. 

I shall  not  soon  forget  the  first  sight  of  Oahu,  the 
island  of  my  birth,  with  its  rugged  mountains,  cocoa-nut 
groves,  little  villages,  and,  last  of  all,  the  beautiful  harbor  of 
Honolulu.  IMany  years  had  rolled  away  sincp  I had  left  it, 
then  a mere  boy.  As  we  neared  the  land,  a small  schooner 
passed  us,  and  her  captain,  standing  upon  her  rail,  shouted, 
“ AVelcome  to  the  Morning  Star  ! ” And  then  from  the 
crowd  of  natives  on  her  deck  there  went  up  a round  of 
cheers,  which  seemed  to  come  from  full  hearts.  These 
people  were  very  glad  to  see  the  Morning  Star,  of  which 
they  had  heard  so  much,  and  toward  the  building  of  which 
many  of  their  children  had  given  their  money.  The  captain 
who  welcomed  us  was  a brother  of  Dr.  Gulick,  of  Micro- 
nesia ; and  he  is  now  the  principal  of  a Girls’  Boarding- 
School  at  M’aialua,  Oahu.  He  came  on  board  with  Mr. 
Bond,  and  the  watermelon,  cocoa-nuts,  potatoes,  sweet  and 
Irish,  which  they  gave  us,  were  a great  luxury,  after  we 
had  been  so  many  months  upon  the  deep. 

We  had  not  been  long  at  Honolulu,  when  the  good 
people  wished  to  give  the  Morning  Star  a new  flag.  At 
the  time  it  was  presented,  thousands  assembled  near  the 
vessel  on  the  wharf;  speeches  were  made,  songs  were  sung, 
and  great  joy  was  expressed  in  what  the  children  had 
done.  Amid  the  shouts  of  the  people,  the  new  flag  was 
hoisted  to  the  mast-head  by  Captain  Moore. 


STOKY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


25 


CHAPTER  VI. 

SHE  VISITS  THE  MAUQUESAS  ISLANDS. 

The  Morning  Star  was  firet  sent  to  tlie  Marquesas 
Islands,  to  relieve  the  wants  of  the  Hawaiian  missionaries 
who  were  living  there.  Many  years  before,  English  mis- 
sionaries made  some  effort  to  carry  the  Gospel  to  the 
Marquosans ; afterwards  American  missionaries  renewed 
the  attempt  ; but  none  of  them  saw  fit  to  remain  per- 
manently. 

Li  1853  a chief  of  one  of  these  islands,  Matunui,  came 
to  the  Sandwich  Islands  in  a whale-ship,  with  his  son-in- 
law,  who  was  a Hawaiian,  to  ask  for  missionaries.  Chris- 
tians felt  that  this  was  a Macedonian  cry ; and  soon  they 
sent  back  with  him  four  Hawaiian  missionaries  and  their 
wives.  The  names  of  the  men  were  Kekela,  Kauwealoha, 
Kuaibelani,  and  Kaiwi.  Mr.  Ricknell,  an  Englishman, 
also  went  witli  them,  hoping  that  he  might  assist  them. 

The  people  of  Fatuhiva,  where  Matunui  lived,  seemed 
very  glad  to  see  him  again.  Rut  only  five  days  after 
they  had  landed,  a French  brig  anchored  there,  bringing 
a Catholic  priest.  He  demanded  of  Matunui  and  the 
other  chiefs  that  these  missionaries  should  be  sent  away, 
saying  that  the  Manpiesas  Islands  belonged  to  the  French. 
One  of  the  chiefs  replied,  “ No ; the  land  is  not  youi"s. 
It  belongs  to  this  people  ; and  there  never  was  a French- 
man born  on  Fatuhiva;  and  these  teachers  must  not  be 
sent  back.”  So  the  Hawaiians  were  not  sent  away ; and 
they  were  very  glad,  you  may  be  sure,  to  remain.  Matu- 
nui, however,  did  not  always  treat  them  kindly. 

In  1856  a vessel  was  chartered  at  Honolulu  to  visit 


26 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


them,  and  Dr.  Lowell  Smith  was  sent  to  inquire  of  their 
welfare.  On  his  return  to  the  Sandwich  Islands,  he  gave 
an  account  of  his  visit.  “ I found  our  friends,”  he  said, 
“ all  in  usual  health,  cheerful  and  happy  in  their  work ; 
but  they  had  been  obliged,  for  several  months,  to  look  a 
little  too  much  on  the  ‘ shady  side.’  ” You  will  ask, 
perhaps.  “ What  was  this  ‘ shady  side.’  ” ? I will  let  Dr. 
Smith  tell  you : “ Brother  Bicknell  had  sold  his  hand- 
saws, plane-irons,  chisels,  hatchets,  and  adze,  and  one  or 
two  razors,  in  exchange  for  food.  And  the  native  mis- 
sionaries had  parted  with  most  of  their  knives  and  forks 
and  spoons,  for  the  same  purpose.  They  said  that  they 
would  soon  have  been  obliged  to  part  with  their  clothes, 
if  their  supplies  had  not  come  to  hand.”  I am  sure  that 
you  will  consider  these  Hawaiians  worthy  of  being  fed  and 
clothed,  when  you  read  what  Dr.  Smith  says  of  them : 
“ The  apparent  respect  and  confidence  with  which  the 
natives  daily  called  upon  them  for  favors  or  advice,  re- 
minded me  of  what  has  occurred  around  my  own  door  for 
the  last  twenty  years.” 

It  was  the  privilege  of  Dr.  Smith  to  welcome  Natua, 
the  “ fii-st-fruits  ” of  the  mission,  to  the  Church  of  Christ, 
giving  him  the  baptismal  name  of  Abraham,  because  he 
was  the  “ father  of  the  faithful  ” among  the  IHarquesans. 
Let  me  tell  you  a pleasant  story  of  this  good  man.  In 
1858  a whale-ship  visited  his  island  ; and,  being  on  board 
of  her,  he  was  invited  to  sit  at  the  cabin-table.  But  not 
a morsel  of  food  would  he  taste,  till  he  had  asked  a bless- 
ing. He  tried  to  speak  in  English,  and  said  : “ 0 Great 
Fader!  Got  no  fader;  got  no  moder ; got  no  broder ; 
got  no  sister ! Make  first  the  sea  ; make  first  the  drj' 
land  ; make  first  the  moon  and  stars  ; make  first  the  trees ; 
then  He  make  man.  And  now.  Great  Fader,  give  man 
his  belly-full.  Amen  ! ” 

You  may  smile  when  you  read  this  simple  prayer.  But 
you  remember,  do  you  not,  those  sweet  words  of  the 
Saviour,  “ She  hath  done  what  she  could  ” ? And  Natua 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


27 


did  what  he  could.  What  a sublime  conception  of  God 
did  he  express  ! Pardon  the  poor  man’s  English,  because 
of  his  great  thoughts. 

My  young  friends  are  glad,  I do  not  doubt,  that  the 
Morning  Star  could  go  to  visit  these  good  missionaries  the 
next  year,  before  they  should  be  too  much  in  want.  She 
took  out  two  other  Hawaiian  laborers,  Kaukau  and  his 
wife,  to  help  them  ; and  on  her  return  she  brought  Mr. 
Bicknell  to  Honolulu,  to  superintend  the  printing  of  the 
Gospel  of  John  and  other  books. 

On  her  way  back,  she  touched  at  Hilo,  on  the  island 
of  Hawaii,  where  Mr.  Goan  lives,  who  was  lor  so  many 
years  pastor  of  the  largest  church  in  the  world.  Some  of 
you  may  remember  the  letter  which  he  wrote  at  that  time. 
Here  is  a part  of  it : “ The  morning  of  the  7th  of  July 
dawned  gloriously  on  Hawaii.  The  mountains  were  throw- 
ing otf  their  night-robes,  and  adorning  themselves  in  the 
light  draper}'  of  the  dawn ; the  fields  were  slowly  unveil- 
ing their  peerless  beauty  ; the  ocean  began  to  reflect  the 
first  tinges  of  morning  light,  when  suddenly  the  sound, 
‘ Hokuao  ! (Morning  Star !)  Hokuao  1 ’ broke  our  slum- 
bers ! ‘ Hokuao  ! Hokuao  ! ’ echoed  and  reechoed  from 

every  headland  and  hill,  and  rolled  back  from  every  val- 
ley along  our  coast ; and  multitudes  of  children  waked, 
and  ran,  and  shouted,  and  caught  the  ‘ flying  joy.’  All 
Hilo  was  active.  Away  in  the  eastern  horizon  floated 
that  beauteous  Star  of  Hope,  while  Venus,  like  an  angel’s 
eye,  looked  down  upon  her  from  the  vault  of  heaven. 
Then  we  felt  that  our  prayers  had  been  heard,  and  re- 
alized that  the  sleepless  eye  of  Him  who  proclaims  Him- 
self ‘ the  Bright  and  Morning  Star,’  was  also  looking  down 
upon  that  little  consecrated  bark.  And  while  our  spirit- 
ual organs  seemed  to  catch  the  notes  of  the  celestial 
anthem,  as  ‘ the  morning  stars  sang  together,’  our  bodily 
ears  did  hear  many  voices  of  the  ‘ sons  of  God,’  as  they 
“ shouted  for  joy.’  ’" 


28 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAli. 


CHAPTER  VH. 

SHE  SETS  OUT  FOR  MICRONESIA. 

By  the  7th  of  August  the  Morning  Star  was  ready  to 
start  for  Micronesia.  A farewell  meeting  was  held  on 
board ; missionaries,  foreigners,  and  natives  crowding  her 
deck.  We  were  commended  to  the  kind  care  of  our 
heavenly  Father,  with  prayer,  both  in  English  and  Ha- 
waiian; the  “ Missionary  Hymn  ” was  sung ; the  benediction 
was  pronounced ; the  moorings  of  your  little  vessel  were 
cast  off,  and  our  long  voyage  of  more  than  twenty  thou- 
sand miles  was  resumed,  after  a pleasant  visit  of  three 
months,  among  a people  so  recently  converted  from  hea- 
thenism. 

We  touched  twice  at  Kauai,  one  of  the  Hawaiian  Isl- 
ands, and  held  pleasant  meetings  on  shore.  All  were 
delighted  to  see  us,  and  to  contribute  something  for  our 
comfort.  But  this  last  of  Christian  lands  that  we  were  to 
see  for  many  yeai's,  faded  at  length  in  the  distance.  And 
yet,  as  we  were  wafted  farther  and  farther  from  the  friends 
we  loved,  our  joy  only  increased ; for  we  thought,  “ Soon 
we  shall  be  proclaiming  the  love  of  Christ  to  those  who 
are  sitting  in  darkness.” 

After  we  had  been  fourteen  days  without  the  sight  of 
land,  the  good  chronometer  which  the  Sunday-School 
children  of  Esse.x  Street  Church,  Boston,  had  given  to  the 
Morning  Star,  told  us  that  we  were  nearing  Uderik,  one 
of  the  ^larshall  Islands.  Oh,  how  eager  I was  to  catch 
my  first  glimpse  of  a Micronesian  island ! And  do  you 
not  think  that  I was  verj' happy  to  be  the  first  one  to  see 
the  cocoa-nut  tree  tops  just  rising  out  of  the  ocean  ? With 


WELCOME  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


30 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


a burst  of  joy  I shouted,  “ Land  ho  ! ” And  instantly  the 
word  was  taken  up  by  almost  all  on  board,  till  the  fishes 
around  us  might  have  wondered  at  a sound  so  new  and 
strange. 

We  passed  near  enough  to  see  with  the  naked  eye 
several  specks  upon  the  beach.  These,  the  spy-glass 
showed  us,  were  human  beings.  Gladly  would  we  have 
stopped  to  tell  them  of  our  errand ; but  we  were  obliged 
to  pass  them  by ; and  even  to  this  day  no  missionary  hcis 
landed  there.  Poor  people  ! Do  you  not  pity  them  ? 
Perhaps  the  new  vessel  will  bear  the  “ glad  tidings  ” to 
them. 

Two  days  later  we  passed  so  near  Mentchikoff  Island 
that  we  could  see  the  men,  women,  and  children  upon  the 
beach.  Some  of  them  waved  their  mats  to  us,  and  we  in 
turn  waved  our  handkerchiefs  to  them.  You  will  find  a 
picture,  illustrating  this  first  welcome  of  the  Morning  Star 
by  tlie  heathen  of  Micronesia,  on  the  preceding  page. 

It  was  not  long  before  several  of  them  pushed  off  in  a 
proa  to  visit  us.  They  were  strange-looking  men ; and 
the  strangest  thing  about  them  was  the  pair  of  ear-rings 
which  they  wore.  Only  think  of  having  a hole  in  the 
lower  part  of  one’s  ear,  large  enough  to  put  a man’s 
arm  through ! Just  look  at  the  picture  of  the  Marshall 
Islander  on  the  opposite  page,  and  you  will  see  what  I 
mean. 

The  narrow  strip  around  the  tortoise-shell  ear-ring  is  a 
part  of  the  ear  itself  The  large  hole  has  been  made 
by  constant  stretching.  When  the  ear-rings  are  taken 
out,  they  often  hang  it  up ; in  other  words,  they  put  the 
lower  part  of  the  ear  on  the  top  of  the  ear.  The  long 
hair  is  firmly  tied  in  a knot  on  the  back  of  the  head, 
which  is  sometimes  adorned  with  white  lilies  and  a coro- 
net of  shells,  curiously  wrought.  You  see  that  this  man 
is  carefully  tattooed. 

One  of  the  men  who  came  off  to  us,  asked  for  a knife 
and  tobacco,  the  latter  of  which  the  Morning  Star  had 


A MAR?rrAU,  ISLANDER. 


32 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


not  for  sale.  He  offered  in  return  mother-of-pearl  fish- 
hooks, nicely  contrived  and  neatly  finished,  a few  cocoa- 
nuts,  and  several  broken  sea-shells. 

Not  long  after  this  we  were  visited  by  another  man, 
who  came  off'  to  us  in  a canoe  just  large  enough  to  carry 
liimself  It  was  so  frail,  so  old,  so  leaky,  that  it  seemed 
as  if  every  wave  would  swamp  it.  He  had  to  keep  bail- 
ing it  all  the  while,  by  means  of  a skilfully  contrived  scoop, 
with  which  he  tossed  out  the  water  with  great  ease  and 
rapidity.  I held  up  to  him  a file,  a jew.s-harp,  and  a letter, 
which  I had  written  at  the  suggestion  of  Captain  Moore. 
It  i-ead  much  as  follows  ; — 

Morning  Star,  Aug.  29,  1857.  ) 

S.  G.  Moore,  Captain,  j 

To  the  Inhabitants  of  Mentchikoff  Island : 

Glad  tidings  ! “ Glory  to  God  in  the  highest ; peace 

on  earth ; good-will  toward  men.”  “ God  so  loved  the 
world  that  He  gave  His  only-begotten  Son,  that  whoso- 
ever believeth  in  Him,  might  not  perish,  but  have  ever- 
lasting life.” 

We  hope  soon  to  bring  you  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  some  of  His  missionaries  to  teach  you. 

Very  truly  yours, 

Hiram  Bingham,  Jr., 
Missionary  to  Micronesia. 

r.  S.  — We  left  Honolulu  August  7th,  and  are  bound 
Ibr  Strong’s  Island. 

This  man  came  near  enough  to  take  these  articles  from 
my  hands.  Tlie  file,  however,  slipped  from  him,  and  he 
instantly  dove  after  it ; but  it  outstripped  him  in  its  bot- 
tom-ward flight,  and  he  returned  without  it.  The  letter, 
which  he  still  held  in  his  hand,  was  completely  drenched ; 
but  he  laid  it  with  care  upon  the  little  platform  between 
the  canoe  and  its  outrigger.  I gave  him  another  file  ; and 
Captain  Moore  gave  him  some  fish  hooks  and  hard  bread. 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


33 


After  this  fHendly  interview  with  these  natives,  we 
squared  our  yards  for  Kusaie,  and  soon  left  them  astern. 
Perhaps  some  of  my  young  friends  will  ask  whether  the 
Marshall  Islanders  could  read  the  letter  which  I had 
ivritten  them,  and  which  I may  call  my  first  sermon  to  the 
Micronesians.  We  did  not  suppose  that  they  could  ; but 
we  hoped  that  they  would  one  day  show  it  to  some  white 
man,  who  could  tell  them  of  the  “ glad  tidings  ” which  it 
contained. 


CHAPTER  TTII. 

HER  VISIT  TO  KUSAIE. 

Though  it  was  only  three  hundred  and  fifty  miles 
from  Mentchikotf  Island  to  Kusaie,  we  were  ten  days 
in  making  the  passage,  owing  to  head-winds  and  calms 
Much  of  Micronesia  is  in  the  “ doldrums,”  as  the  sailors 
call  the  low  latitudes ; and  often,  while  passing  from  one 
island  to  another,  our  patience  is  sorely  tried  by  fitful 
breezes,  ocean-currents,  and  the  torrid  sun. 

On  the  8th  of  September  we  dropped  anchor  in  one 
of  the  beautiful  harbors  of  Kusaie.  What  a feast  to 
our  weary  eyes  was  this  gem  of  the  Pacific,  — so  green, 
so  romantic,  so  lovely  ! All  about  us  there  rose  abniptly 
hills  and  mountains,  covered  to  their  very  summits  with 
the  densest  verdure.  Beneath  cocoa-nut  and  bread-fruit 
and  banana  and  banyan  trees  nestled  the  picturesque 
dwellings  of  the  natives.  Here  and  there  a light  canoe 
passed  rapidly  along,  bearing  the  rich,  spontaneoas  fruits 
which  had  only  to  be  gathered  as  they  were  needed. 
Snow-white  birds  sailed  gracefully  along,  at  a dizzy  height, 
toward  the  ilark  mountain-sides. 

On  a lovely  islet,  which  the  missionaries  called  “ Dove 
3 


34 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


Island,”  stood  the  cottage  of  Mr.  Snow ; and  not  far 
off  were  the  houses  of  Dr.  Pierson  and  Kanoa.  Oh, 
how  beautiful  was  this  secluded  spot ! It  might  have 
been  called  a fairy  scene.  We  could  not  help  think- 
ing of  the  words,  — 

“ Where  every  prospect  pleases.” 

Too  soon,  however,  we  felt  the  force  of  those  other 
words,  — 

“And  only  man  is  vile.” 

A house  was  pointed  out  to  us,  where  a few  white 
men  and  several  natives  of  Rotuma  had  been  for  many 
days  blockaded  by  the  Kusaieans.  Some  of  them  had 
designed  to  kill  the  king  and  take  the  island ; and  the 
missionaries  had  good  reason  to  believe  that  these  reck- 
less men  had  wished  to  destroy  their  lives.  But  God 
had  mercifully  preserved  His  servants  thus  far.  Before 
our  arrival  several  of  the  insurgents  had  been  slain  ; 
and  others  had  taken  refuge  in  the  house  to  which  I 
have  referred.  You  will  not  wonder  that  our  brethren 
were  very  glad  to  see  the  Morning  Star,  for  which  they 
had  been  looking  so  earnestly ! It  was  a great  re- 
lief to  them  to  have  the  little  packet  so  near  them, 
ready  for  any  emergency.  She  brought  a mail,  more- 
over, that  contained  tidings  of  their  friends  for  more  than 
a year. 

We  soon  assembled  in  Mr.  Snow’s  house  to  thank 
our  heavenly  Father  for  all  his  “ mercy  and  truth.” 
And  through  His  gracious  influence  our  little  vessel 
was  soon  made  a peacemaker.  A meeting  between 
the  king  and  the  leading  insurgents  was  held  on  board 
of  her;  and  it  was  arranged  that  most  of  them  should 
leave  the  island  at  an  early  day.  Four  of  the  Rotu- 
mas  we  took  with  us  to  Ponape. 

The  king  declared  that  he  wanted  no  white  men  to 
remain  on  his  island,  e.xcept  the  missionaries.  He  knew 
that  the  latter  came,  not  to  kill  and  to  rule,  but  to 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


35 


preach  the  gospel  of  peace ; and  he  felt  quite  willing 
to  trust  them.  The  missionaries  were  very  glad  to 
hear  him  express  his  confidence  in  them ; and  although 
scarcely  any  one  had  been  converted  during  their  five 
years  of  hard  labor,  they  did  not  think  of  giving  up 
and  going  elsewhere.  When  Mr.  Snow  told  him  of  his 
purpose  to  visit  Ponape  for  a few  weeks,  he  seemed  re- 
luctant to  let  him  go. 

We  were  happy,  during  the  visit,  to  make  the  ac- 
quaintance of  Keduka,  one  of  the  earliest  converts. 
Sir.  Snow  told  a pleasant  story  about  him,  in  con- 
nection with  Dr.  Pierson’s  arrival  in  the  Belle.  He 
was  away  from  home  on  some  pressing  business,  when 
he  saw  a vessel.  .He  immediately  left  his  business,  and 
hastened  to  the  pilot,  to  go  with  him  to  the  ship.  “ Me 
think  missionary  stop  board  that  ship,”  he  afterward 
said  to  Mr.  Snow.  “ Me  want  to  go  ’long  pilot  ; look 
quick.  Me  no  care  nothing  ’bout  ’nother  ship  come 
before ; but  me  think  missionary  in  this  ship ; that ’s 
what  for  I want  go ; look  plenty.”  This  man  is  still 
one  of  the  lea<ling  Christians  in  the  little  church  on 
Kusaie. 

Taking  Jlr.  Snow  and  Dr.  Pierson  with  their  families, 
we  set  sail  for  Ponape,  September  15th,  to  visit  the 
missionaries  there,  and  to  hold  a meeting  of  the  Mi- 
cronesia mission,  to  decide  what  new  stations  should 
be  occupied,  and  what  men  should  commence  them. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

HER  VISIT  TO  PONAPE. 

Ox  the  23(1  of  September  we  entered  the  Metalanim 
harbor,  on  the  east  side  of  Ponape,  mountain-locked,  like 


3G 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


the  one  we  had  just  left,  with  surroundings  less  abrupt, 
indeed,  but  more  grand.  Here  too  we  saw  the  same  in- 
tense gi-een  ; and  on  our  left  we  beheld  two  picturesque 
water-falls,  wliich  greatly  enhanced  the  beauty  of  the 
place.  On  our  right,  standing  by  itself,  was  the  “ Sugar 
Loaf,”  several  hundred  feet  high ; and  were  any  of  you 
to  see  it,  you  would  say  at  once,  “ It  {s  a Sugar  Loaf” 
Ail  who  visit  this  place,  are  struck  with  the  extraordinary 
bkeness. 

At  Shalong,  near  this  harbor,  was  the  home  of  Dr. 
Gulick.  ^Ve  were  very  glad  when  he  came  alongside  of 
our  vessel  in  liis  bttle  boat,  called  the  Soso.  AVe  had  on 
board  his  gray-haired  father;  and  their  meeting,  after  a 
five  years’  separation,  was  truly  affecting. 

Ponape  is  a much  larger  island  than  Kusaie  ; and  there 
were  three  missionary  stations  on  it.  Word  was  soon 
sent  to  tlie  other  brethren  that  the  Morning  Star  had  ai- 
rived.  Our  friends  were  delighted  to  hear  the  tidings  ; 
for  the  food  of  some  of  them  was  nearly  gone,  and  they 
found  it  hard  to  buy  any  of  the  natives.  Indeed,  they 
were  about  making  their  necessities  a subject  of  special 
prayei- ; when  lo  ! He  who  hath  “ the  times  and  the  sea- 
sons ” in  His  own  hand,  sent  the  missionary  ship  to  them 
just  at  the  right  time  ! 

Missionary  life  on  Ponape  has  always  been  one  of  much 
hardship.  But  those  who  have  been  sowing  in  tears,  are 
now  reaping  in  joy.  Some  of  the  trials  which  in  early 
years  they  were  subjected  to,  will  appear  in  the  following 
extracts  from  a letter  of  Mr.  Doane ; — “ Not  a native 
boy  or  girl,  man  or  woman,  can  we  get  to  do  anything  for 
us.  Om'  family  work  I am  obliged  to  share  with  my  wife ; 
and  my  co-laborers  do  likewise.  I am  familiar  with  the 
kitchen  and  the  wash-tub.  All  the  out-door  work,  more- 
over, I must  do.  I must  go  after  firewood,  bring  it  home 
in  a small  canoe,  and  then  cut  it.  I must  bring  my  own 
water  ; I must  attend  to  the  watering  and  feeding  of  my 
cow.  I must,  in  short,  help  myself,  if  I would  be  helped. 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


37 


And  in  this  hot  climate  it  requires  no  little  energy  to  go 
forward,  and  do  all  that  is  needful.”  And  yet  this  good 
brother  was  “ not  disheartened.”  He  felt,  moreover,  that 
his  trials  might  help  forward  the  work  which  he  was  do- 
ing. “ One  good  result  at  least,”  he  wrote,  “ will  come 
from  all  this.  When  the  natives  see  us  toiling  thus,  all 
wet  with  perspiration,  all  sore  with  toil,  coats  off,  perhaps 
in  the  water  up  to  the  knees,  they  will  see  that  we  have 
not  come  here  to  play  the  gentleman.” 

AVhile  the  Morning  Star  lay  in  the  harbor  of  ^leta- 
lanim,  a meeting  was  held  on  board  of  her,  for  the  sake  of 
giving  the  missionaries  at  Shalong  a public  opportunity  to 
testily  their  joy,  and  also  to  impress  upon  the  natives  the 
nature  of  the  work  which  she  was  doing.  Captain  Moore 
and  others  made  addresses,  which  Dr.  Gulick  interpreted. 
The  Ihig  was  exhibited,  with  other  articles  of  interest, 
among  them  a large  liible.  The  exercises  were  closed  by 
singing, 

“ Waft,  waft,  ye  winds,  Ilis  storj’,”  &c. 

From  Metfdanim  harbor  we  proceeded  to  Mr.  Doane’s 
station,  in  the  Jokoij  tribe,  on  the  northwest  side  of  the 
island,  to  take  on  board  his  goods.  While  this  was  going 
on,  the  Wajai  (a  high  chief)  came  to  Mr.  Doane’s  house, 
and  conunenced  stoning  the  people,  saying  that  our  mis- 
sionary brother  was  leaving  them  because  they  did  not 
come  to  hear  him  preach  on  the  Sabbath. 

He  and  other  chiefs  accompanied  Mr.  Doane  to  the 
Morning  Star  in  several  canoes.  For  a short  time  we 
endeavored  to  entertain  them  with  instrumental  and  vocal 
music.  Mr.  Doane  then  implored  God’s  blessing  upon 
them,  and  bade  them  “ good-bye.”  You  will  be  glad  to 
know  that  his  labors  among  that  tribe  were  not  in  vain. 
Many  of  the  people,  including  this  very  Wajai,  are  now 
coming  to  Jesus. 

From  this  station  we  proceeded  to  Ron  Kiti,  the  resi- 
dence of  Mr.  Sturges.  In  his  hospitable  dwelling  we  had 


38 


STORY  OF  THE  MORXING  STAR. 


a pleasant  home  for  a week  and  more.  His  house  stoo<l 
upon  a high  hill,  surrounded  with  bread-fruit,  cocoa-nut, 
and  papaw  trees,  and  overlooking  the  smooth  sheet  of 
water  where  the  Morning  Star  lay  safely  moored. 

We  enjoyed  the  few  days  which  we  spent  on  Ponape 
very  much.  Those  who  dwell  in  Christian  lands,  can 
hardly  imagine  the  pleasure  which  missionaries  derive 
from  intercourse  with  each  other.  It  is  “ like  the  pre- 
cious ointment  upon  the  head,  that  ran  down  upon  the 
beard,  even  Aaron’s  beard  ; that  went  down  to  the  skirts 
of  his  garments.”  But  the  time  soon  came  for  our  parting 
words.  The  isles  were  waiting  for  the  law  ! 

It  had  been  decided  to  commence  new  stations  on  the 
Marshall  and  Gilbert  Islands.  AJthough  there  were  some 
five  thousand  people  on  Ponape,  even  after  the  terrible 
ravages  made  by  the  small-po.x,  it  was  thought  best  to 
send  Dr.  Piei'son  and  iMr.  Doane  to  the  Marshall  Islands, 
cis  abo  Kanoa  and  myself  to  the  Gilbert  Islands.  Some 
of  us,  therefore,  must  turn  away  from  these  “ heavenly 
places  in  Christ  Jesus,”  and  preach  the  ‘‘  unsearchable 
riches  ” where  they  had  not  been  known. 

And  so,  on  the  15th  of  October,  we  set  sail  and  en- 
tered the  iMetalanlm  harbor  again,  to  take  on  board  Mrs. 
Gulick  (with  tlu-ee  children),  who  was  going  to  the  Sand- 
wich Islands  for  her  health.  While  attempting  to  get  to 
sea,  the  Morning  Star  struck  on  one  of  the  thousand  reels 
with  which  these  waters  abound,  where  she  thumped  about 
for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes ; but  the  Keeper  of  Israel  mer- 
cifully cared  for  us ; and  before  night'we  were  safely 
under  way.  Dr.  Gulick  then  left  us  to  return  in  his  little 
boat  to  his  “ hermit-home,”  while  we  bore  away  for  Ecist- 
ern  Micronesia.  You  will  not  wonder  that  he  called  to 
mind  the  following  words : — 

“ Thou  who  dost  the  winds  control, 

Guide  our  vessel  to  her  goal ; 

Pour  the  sunshine  o’er  her  track ; 

Father,  lead  the  storm-cloud  back. 


STORY  OF  THE  MORXIXG  STAR. 


39 


“ Infant  hopes  are  centred  there, 

Infant  voices  raised  in  prayer; 

Infant  hands  liave  launched  the  bark; 
Safely  speed  thee.  Gospel  Ark  ! ” 


CHAPTER  X. 

HER  VISIT  TO  ARAIANG. 

We  touclicd  at  Wellington  and  McAskill  Islands,  and 
then  at  Kusaie  to  return  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Snow  to  their 
home,  henceforth  to  be  so  lonely,  in  consequence  of  the 
removal  of  Dr.  I’ierson  and  Kanoa.  With  the  latter  were 
two  Gilbert  Islanders,  a man  and  his  wife,  who  had  drifted 
away  from  their  own  group.  They  had  taught  Kanoa  a 
few  words  of  their  language,  which  were  of  much  use  to 
him  in  beginnint;  his  new  work. 

c n 

Your  missionai'y  ve.ssel  was  now  loaded  down  as  much 
a.s  she  could  be  with  safety  ; for  she  had  on  her  decks 
(besides  much  of  the  lumber  for  my  little  frame<l  house 
wliich  I took  out  from  Honolulu)  poles  and  posts  for 
builduig  houses,  as  soon  as  possible,  upon  the  new  islands 
to  which  the  other  missionaries  were  going. 

Though  the  Morning  Star  sailed  from  Kusaie  for  the 
Gilbert  Islands,  she  was  compelled  by  the  winds  to  pass 
near  Ebon.  Of  our  e.xciting  interview  with  the  people 
there,  I will  tell  you  in  tlie  ne.xt  chapter. 

It  was  on  the  13th  of  November  that  I climbed  almost 
to  the  top  of  the  mast,  and  caught  the  first  sight  of  what 
proved  to  be,  for  so  many  years,  our  island-home.  It  was 
Apaiang,  a low  coral  reef,  some  fifty  miles  in  circumference, 
enclosing  one  of  those  great  lagoons  which  I have  already 
described.  'Hie  highest  parts  of  this  reef  were  only  a few 
feet  above  the  ocean  ; but  on  these  were  many  cocoa-nut 
and  ]>andanus  trees.  The  lowest  parts  were  covered  with 


40 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


water  at  high  tide.  The  lagoon  was  about  eighteen  miles 
long,  six  wide,  and  one  hundred  feet  deep.  The  land 
surrounding  it  did  not  average  more  than  a quarter  of  a 
mile  in  width  ; but  on  this  narrow  strip,  such  as  it  was, 
were  many  villages. 

We  landed  first  on  an  islet,  belonging  to  the  west- 
ern side,  where  the  reef  is  lowest.  There  we  found  a 
solitary  old  man,  Wcdking  among  the  trees.  He  was  the 
first  Gilbert  Islander  to  receive  the  missionaries,  who  had 
» come  to  live  among  his  people ! On  the  17th  of  Novem- 
ber the  Morning  Star  entered  the  beautiful  lagoon,  and 
■ came  to  anchor  near  Koinawa,  the  king’s  village,  on  the 
eastern  side. 

Next  morning  the  king,  at  our  request,  came  on  board, 
and,  learning  something  of  our  wishes  from  the  Gilbert 
Islanders  with  us,  he  seemed  pleased ; and,  putting  his 
hand  on  me  and  on  my  lumber,  he  pointed  to  the  shore. 
I took  the  hint,  and  the  very  next  day  we  began  to  build. 
The  house  was  twenty-four  feet  by  sixteen,  and  though 
we  took  time  to  shingle  it,  much  to  the  wonder  of  the 
natives,  in  less  than  two  weeks  it  had  been  made  so  com- 
fortable as  to  be  ready  for  housekeeping.  We  afterwards 
painted  it  white,  except  the  blinds,  which  were  green,  and 
put  on  piazzas.  We  called  it  “ Happy  Home.” 

In  the  picture  of  the  station,  on  the  opposite  page,  it  is 
the  largest  building  on  the  right.  On  the  left  is  Kanoa’s 
house,  somewhat  like  it,  but  made  chiefly  of  cocoa-nut 
wood,  with  pandanus  thatch  for  roofing.  The  buildings 
from  which  you  see  smoke  issuing  are  our  kitchens.  You 
notice  that  they  have  no  chimneys,  and  the  smoke  escapes 
through  openings  in  the  gable-ends.  Back  of  Kanoa’s 
house  stands  a school-house,  which  we  built  for  the  pupils 
of  Mi-s.  Bingham  and  Kaholo. 

The  water  in  the  foreground  is  a part  of  the  lagoon. 
See  that  poor  woman  dragging  a canoe  along  the  shore, 
in  wliich  her  husband  sits,  leisurely  smoking  a pipe.  The 
wind  is  ahead  ; but  little  does  he  care  how  hard  she  must 


MISSION  STATION  AT  Al'AIANO 


42 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


toil  beneath  the  burning  sun  to  tow  him,  as  if  she  were  a 
mule  or  donkey,  to  his  home,  some  five  or  si.\  miles  away. 
Oh,  how  much  woman,  in  this  Christian  land,  owes  to  the 
Gospel ! A part  of  this  picture  serves  to  illustrate  what 
is  mentioned  on  page  52. 

On  the  2d  of  December,  1857,  just  one  year  from  the 
day  of  our  tleparture  from  Boston,  the  Morning  Star  was 
ready  to  take  her  departure  from  Apaiang.  And  now  we 
were  to  be  left  alone  among  these  savages  ! Would  they 
treat  us  kindly  ? Or  would  they  steal  from  us,  and  per- 
haps murder  us  ? Could  we  live  happily  among  them  ? 
Should  we  not  be  very  lonely  ? By  remaining  on  board 
our  little  vessel,  we  might  be  carried  again  to  dear  friends. 
What,  think  you,  were  our  thoughts  in  such  an  hour  ? 
We  were  glad  to  remain,  to  teach  the  people,  and  to  lead 
them  to  Jesus.  And  while  we  loved  your  missionary 
packet,  in  which  we  had  sailed  so  many  thousand  miles, 
we  would  not  detain  her  longer.  Getting  into  my  little 
canoe,  I paddled  off  to  the  shore,  while  the  children’s 
messenger  of  peace  went  her  way  on  other  errands  of 
love.  From  that  time  forward,  we  were  to  have  no  Amer- 
ican fellow-laborei's,  and  yet  we  were  not  alone.  The 
Saviour,  as  He  had  promised,  was  with  us  ! 


CHAPTER  XI. 

HER  VISIT  TO  EBOX. 

Ebon  is  one  of  the  Marshall  Islands,  all  of  which  are 
coral  reefs.  As  more  rain  falls  on  them  than  on  the 
Gilbert  Islands,  they  are  much  more  fertile,  and  abound, 
not  only  in  cocoa-nuts  and  the  fruit  of  the  j>andanus  or 
screw-pine,  but  also  in  bread-fruit,  and  a variety  of  the 
taro,  the  last  being  a vegetable  which  is  used  much  as  we 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


43 


use  potatoes.  Some  bananas  are  also  raised.  Neither 
goats,  nor  sheep,  nor  cattle,  as  I have  said,  can  live  on 
cither  the  Marshall  or  Gilbert  Islands  ; and  of’  course  the 
natives  never  have  any  fresh  beef  or  mutton  or  milk  or 
butter.  But  in  both  groups  dogs  and  rats  abound,  and 
there  are  some  cats  and  fowls.  Land-birds  are  scarce,  but 
sea-birds  are  plenty  everywhere. 

The  Marshall  Islanders  are  bold  navigators,  and  fre- 
quently set  out  in  their  proas,  without  any  compass,  for 
small  islands  distant  a hundred  miles.  Sometimes  they 
get  adrift,  however,  and  wander  about  over  the  ocean  lor 
weeks,  before  they  find  a landing-place. 

It  was  in  this  way  that  the  party  of  which  I have 
spoken  in  another  jdace,  drifted  to  Kusaie,  in  a starving 
condition,  and  fully  e.xpecting  to  be  put  to  death.  But 
they  were  treated  kindly,  and  permitted  to  return  to  their 
homes  in  peace.  God  had  commanded  the  winds  to  take 
them  to  that  distant  island,  that  they  might  see  what  the 
missionaries  were  doing,  and  so  be  ready  to  welcome  them. 
Some  of  these  were  among  the  peojde  whom  we  met,  as  I 
have  said,  when  sailing  from  Kusaie  to  Apaiang.  We  had 
heard  much  of  their  barbarity  ; for  they  had  made  a 
covenant  of  ileath,  and  had  resolved  that  every  white 
man  who  should  set  his  foot  upon  their  island,  should  be 
killed  ! Only  a little  while  before,  indeed,  a vessel  had 
been  seized  by  them,  and  all  the  crew  slain. 

And  now,  as  we  saw  one  large  jiroa  suddenly  shoot  out 
from  the  lagoon,  and  then  another  and  another,  (in  spite 
of  the  roughness  of  the  sea,)  we  began  to  fear  lest  our 
little  vessel  might  be  seized  also.  What  then  w;is  our 
sense  of  relief,  when,  as  Dr.  I’ierson  addressed  the  first 
proa  that  reached  us  in  the  language  of  Ebon,  the  man 
who  was  steering  recognized  him,  and  e.xclaiined,  repeat- 
edly, and  with  great  joy,  “ Doketur  ! (Doctor)  Doketur  ! 
Mitchinari  ! (missionary)  Mitchinari  ! ” All  in  the  canoe 
became  highly  e.xcited,  laughing  most  joyously.  The 
news  soon  spread  like  wildfire  among  the  fleet  of  seven- 


44 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


teeii  proas.  Some  of  the  natives  soon  boarded  us,  and 
when  they  learned  that  Dr.  Pierson  was  expecting  to  re- 
turn in  the  course  of  one  or  two  “ moons,”  they  were 
greatly  delighted.  See  a picture  of  this  scene  on  the 
title-page. 

We  lelt  that  “ the  set  time  to  favor  ” them  had  come, 
and  that  the  God  of  missions  had  prepared  the  way  for 
His  servants.  Kaibuke,  the  head  chief,  welcomed  the 
missionaries  on  their  return  from  Apaiang,  assuring  them 
again  that  their  lives  and  property  should  be  perfectly 
safe.  He  told  them  to  select  any  place  on  the  island 
which  they  might  prefer.  He  called  Dr.  Pierson  his  son, 
and  said  that  any  injury  done  to  him  would  be  regarded 
as  done  to  himself.  They  soon  chose  a spot  upon  which 
to  build,  called  by  the  people  “ Rube,”  and  they  were 
much  pleased  with  the  cheerlulness  of  the  natives  while 
assisting  them  in  putting  up  their  houses. 

The  missionaries  were  happy  in  the  prospect  before 
them,  as  you  will  judge  from  what  ^Ir.  Doane  wrote  at 
tliat  time.  “ Let  me  be  a missionary,”  he  said,  “ a pioneer 
missionary,  if  my  Master  so  wdlls  it,  and  I ask  no  other, 
no  higher  employment  in  this  world.  To  enter  in  among 
a peo])le,  lost,  depraved,  exposed  to  endless  ruin,  and  tell 
them  of  the  way  of  life,  of  the  blessed  Saviour,  of  the 
riches  of  his  dying  love,  — this  is  all  and  the  only  work 
I ask  for  in  this  life.” 

The  Mai’shall  Islanders  have  been  very  treacherous  un- 
til recently,  and  even  now  it  might  not  be  safe  for  white 
men  to  live  on  some  of  the  islands.  But  Dr.  Pierson,  ilr. 
Doane,  and  their  wives,  wei’e  not  afraid  to  be  left  by  the 
Morning  Star ; and  after  their  houses  had  been  partially 
built,  the  vessel  set  out  for  Honolulu,  Christmas,  1857. 
But  it  was  a great  comfort  to  them,  I can  assure  you,  (as 
it  was  to  all  of  us,)  that  the  Morning  Star  was  to  return 
next  year. 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


45 


CHAPTER  XII. 

WAITING  FOR  THE  MORNING  STAR. 

As  soon  as  we  were  left  upon  Apaiang,  w^e  began  to  learn 
the  language  which  we  were  to  use ; but,  as  none  of  the 
people  spoke  English,  it  was  slow  work.  One  word  after 
another  we  picked  up,  by  pointing  to  this  thing  and  that, 
by  representing  various  motions,  as  rising  up,  walking, 
sitting  down,  throwing,  and  so  on.  The  little  children 
delighted  in  counting  their  fingers  for  us,  that  we  might 
learn  to  count  as  they  did.  And  this  was  what  they  said  : 
“ Teuana,  uoua,  tenua,  aua,  nimaua,  onoua,  itua,  wanua, 
ruaiua,  tebwina.”  Would  you  have  ever  dreamed  that 
they  were  saying,  “ One,  two,  three,  four,”  &c.  ? 

We  had  hardly  been  in  our  new  home  three  months, 
when  a party  of  Gilbert  Islanders  from  Tarawa,  not  lar 
off,  made  an  attack  upon  our  people  in  a fleet  of  one 
hundred  proas.  Our  king  assembled  his  army  about  our 
house  to  await  the  onset,  as  the  other  party  seemed  to  be 
coming  directly  towards  us.  They  changed  their  course, 
however,  and  the  battle  was  fought  some  si.\  miles  away. 
The  king  who  had  befriended  us  when  we  landed,  was 
killed,  but  his  people  were  victorious. 

Next  morning  1 visited  the  battle-ground  ; and  there 
I saw  among  the  dead  six  women,  who  had  helped  their 
husbands  in  the  fight.  ^Ve  were  very  sorry  that  so  many 
had  been  killed ; but  we  were  thankful  that  the  savages 
had  been  driven  off ; for  it  is  quite  possible  that  they 
might  have  slain  us,  and  taken  possession  of  our  little 
house. 

And  here  I must  explain  the  engraving  on  the  next 
leaf.  It  represents  two  Gilbert  Island  warriors,  going  to 
battle.  Formerly  this  people  had  no  guns,  but  fought 
with  clubs  and  spears  ; and  even  now  they  like  to  take 
their  old  weapons  into  battle  with  them,  to  use  when  their 


4G 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


powder  is  gone.  Some  of  the  spears  are  armed  with 
sharks’  teeth,  and  are  almost  twenty  feet  long.  To  pro- 
tect themselves  tl>ey  have  a kind  of  armor,  made  of 
cocoa-nut  fibre  cord.  A part  of  this  resembles  a great- 
coat ; and  it  comes  up  behind  their  heads,  to  shield  them 
from  behind,  or  when  they  run.  They  also  make  cover- 
ings for  their  legs,  arms,  and  head,  of  the  same  material, 
and  still  another  covering  for  the  head,  of  the  skin  of  the 
porcupine-fish.  The  picture  opposite  is  quite  lifelike. 

The  Morning  Star  will  not  be  here  for  some  time. 
Let  me  take  you,  therefore,  on  a missionary  tour.  We 
put  up  some  bread  and  boiled  salt-beef ; a little  rice,  and 
a little  butter,  if  we  have  any  ; a saucepan,  a keg  of 
water  Irom  our  well,  for  the  water  in  most  wells  is  very 
bad.  We  take  a mat,  a blanket  or  two,  and  loading  up 
our  little  boat,  which  we  call  the  Alfred,  (for  we  have 
neither  carriages,  nor  horses,  nor  mules,  nor  donkeys,  you 
know,)  we  set  off  for  a heathen  village. 

A crowd  of  naked  men,  boys,  and  girls  meet  us  as  we 
land ; and  we  go  directly  to  the  maneaba  of  the  village. 
The  people  throng  about  us  ; and  we  try  to  teach  them 
to  sing  and  pray,  and  we  speak  of  Jesus’  love.  As  we 
close  our  eyes  for  prayer,  one  and  another  shout  to  those 
near  them,  “ Matu,  matu ! ” (•'■  Go  to  sleep ; go  to 
sleep  ! ”)  meaning,  “ Shut  your  eyes.”  After  a genei'al 
commotion,  in  which  some  bow  their  faces  to  the  ground, 
the  prayer  is  offered.  At  its  close,  as  the  missionary 
opens  his  eyes,  a number  begin  to  shout,  “ Uti,  uti ! ” 
(“  Wake  up,  wake  up  ! ”)  and,  with  a burst  of  laughter, 
these  rude  worshippers  sit  up  again. 

I begin  to  preach.  But  the  leading  man  of  the  -village 
may  break  in  upon  me,  by  asking  if  I will  not  take  a 
pipe.  “ I never  smoke,”  is  the  answer.  Ne.\t  he  may 
offer  me  some  molasses  and  water  to  drink,  or  the  milk 
of  a green  cocoa-nut.  Sometimes  we  tell  them  that  we 
have  not  come  to  eat  and  drink,  but  to  teach  them.  It 
is  often  better,  however,  to  stop  preaching,  and  drink 


OILBKRT  ISI.AXn  WUir.TOllfl. 


48 


STORY  OF  THE  MORXIXG  STAR. 


from  tlie  cocoa-nut,  and  then  go  on  again.  After  service 
we  often  look  up  the  blind  and  sick  of  the  village,  and 
teach  them  in  their  own  houses. 

We  go  to  the  next  village.  Perhaps  we  find  the 
maneaha  preoccupied.  A man  has  died,  and  his  body 
has  been  brought  to  the  big  house,  and  is  laid  out  in  state. 
A4'omen  sit  by  it,  day  after  day,  even  for  weeks.  You 
will  wonder  how  they  can  do  so,  especially  in  such  a hot 
climate.  Poor  creatures  ! They  think  that  in  this  way 
they  are  treating  the  dead  man  kindly,  ilost  of  the 
time  the  body  is  covered  by  a mat ; and  frequently  be- 
neath the  same  mat  lies  the  dead  man’s  wife,  grieving 
over  her  loss.  AVhen  at  length  the  corpse  is  about  to  be 
buried,  the  wife  often  keeps  his  skull,  and  makes  it  her 
constant  companion.  (See  the  right-hand  figure  in  the 
picture  on  page  51.) 

A man  is  generally  buried  under  his  own  house,  and 
only  a few  inches  below  the  surface  of  the  ground ; for 
the  people  think  that  if  there  should  be  room  for  another 
corpse  above  him,  there  would  soon  he  another  to  fill  the 
place.  Sometimes,  however,  bodies  are  rolled  up  in 
mats,  and  laid  away  in  a loft  of  the  house. 

lldien  we  find  the  maneaha  thus  occupied,  the  friends 
of  the  deceased  are  usually  willing  to  listen  to  me  while  I 
urge  them  to  prepare  for  death.  But  sometimes  we  find 
the  people  assembled  for  a feast.  If  they  have  only 
cocoa-nut  milk  to  drink,  or  cocoa-nut  molasses  and  water, 
they  are  generally  willing  to  hear  me  speak  of  the  land 
where  men  never  hunger;  and  yet  they  may  be  very 
desirous  to  know  what  kind  of  food  they  may  expect 
there. 

If  the  people  are  drinking  fnang'ing,  (fermented  toddy,) 
some  of  them  may  be  very  noisy,  and  interrupt  us  while 
we  preach  to  them  of  temperance.  When  they  are  in- 
toxicated, they  often  quarrel,  and  kill  one  another ; 
sometimes  they  stab  themselves.  AMien  the  toddy  is  first 
obtained  from  the  bud  of  the  cocoa-nut,  which  is  cut  twice 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


49 


a day,  it  is  pleasant  and  wholesome.  But  if  it  is  allowed  to 
stand  three  or  four  days,  it  ferments  and  becomes  hurtful. 
A great  deal  of  it,  nevertheless,  is  drunk  in  the  Gilbert 
Islands ; and  they  need  missionaries  to  teach  them  better. 

When  night  overtakes  us,  we  spread  our  mats  on 
the  ground,  hang  up  our  mus(juito- netting  in  some 
native  house,  and  lie  down  to  sleep.  In  the  morning, 
perhaps,  while  we  are  eating  the  food  which  we  have 
brought,  the  people  will  crowd  around  us,  saying,  “ Kamai 
teutana,”  (“  Give  me  a little  piece.”)  If  we  rel'use  them, 
they  may  call  us  “ bataoti,”  (“  stingy.”)  But  we  could 
not  give  all  of  them  even  a little  piece  ; if  we  should,  our 
supply  would  soon  be  gone. 

After  several  days  have  been  spent  in  this  way,  the  tour 
is  completed,  and  we  spread  our  sail  lor  the  white  cottage 
among  the  cocoa-nut  trees.  As  we  cross  the  lagoon,  we 
enjoy  an  hour  of  rest,  which  is  very  refreshing. 

But  some  bright-eyed  boy  may  say,  “ You  have  taken 
us  on  a preaching  tour,  but  you  have  not  told  us  when  and 
where  you  began  to  preach  at  home.”  AVell,  I will  say 
a word  on  this  point  just  here.  I had  been  living  on 
Apaiang  about  si.\  months,  when  I began  to  address  the 
natives  publicly  in  their  own  tongue.  At  first  I spoke  to 
them  in  the  maneaba  of  Koinawa,  a large  village  near  us 
where  the  king  lives.  This  building  answered  the  purpose 
of  a chapel  very  well  ; still  we  thought  it  best  to  build  a 
small  church,  to  be  dedicated  to  the  worship  of  the  true 
Go<l. 

You  have  a picture  of  this  building  on  the  ne.xt 
leaf.  We  are  going  to  church,  you  see ; and  Kanoa,  my 
Hawaiian  associate,  is  blowing  a shell,  to  call  the  people 
to  meeting,  as  we  have  no  bell.  Kanoa’s  wife,  Avith  one 
of  her  children,  is  just  behind  us.  Be  sure  to  look  at 
the  king,  son  of  the  one  who  Avas  killed,  in  his  long 
shirt,  and  under  his  umbrella.  Tlie  queen  Avill  come  too, 
for  both  are  very  regular  in  their  attendance  ; and,  Avhat 
is  better  still,  Ave  hope  they  are  Christians. 

4 


50 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNIXG  STAR. 


You  will  say,  perhaps,  that  some  things  in  this  picture 
look  more  like  breaking  the  Sabbath  than  keeping  it; 
and  you  are  quite  right.  You  wdll  learn  from  the  scene, 
liowever,  how  the  Gilbert  Islanders  dishonor  God’s  holy 
day.  How  much  they  need  the  Gospel ! 

But  let  me  proceed  with  my  explanation.  The  woman 
whom  you  see  is  a heathen,  carrying  her  husband’s  skull 
as  she  goes  on  a visit  to  some  other  village.  A party  of 
the  natives  are  pressing  scraped  cocoa-nuts  in  an  oil-press, 
to  get  the  oil  to  buy  tobacco  with.  The  ilog  is  one  of 
the  many,  as  heathenish  as  their  masters,  which  greatly 
annoy  us. 

Three  men  are  climbing  cocoa-nut  trees  in  as  many 
different  ways.  The  one  at  the  right  has  notches  cut  in 
his  tree,  large  enough  to  hold  the  second  joint  of  the 
great  toe.  He  is  going  after  his  toddy,  which  he  will 
give  his  child  instead  of  milk,  as  they  have  no  cows  or 
goats.  The  man  in  the  middle  walks  up  the  tree  in  a 
wonderful  way.  If  one  of  his  hands  should  slip,  he  would 
fall,  and  perhaps  break  his  neck.  The  man  at  the  left 
has  his  feet  tied  together,  a few  inches  apart ; and  while 
he  holds  himself  away  from  the  tree  by  pushing  off  with 
one  arm,  and  clasping  the  other  round  the  trunk,  he 
draws  up  his  feet,  wdiich  easily  cling  to  the  tree  by  the 
help  of  the  cord  which  binds  them  together ; and  then  he 
straightens  himself  up  again.  The  second  way  of  climb- 
ing is  the  most  difficult.  On  the  right  you  will  see  a 
pandanus-tree.  How  strange  its  roots,  which  gi-ow  out  of 
the  trunk,  and  run  off  into  the  ground ! How  large  the 
great  bunches  of  fruit ! They  sometimes  weigh  forty  or 
fifty  pounds.  When  they  are  ripe,  you  can  pull  them  to 
pieces,  each  piece  being  a separate  conical  seed  some 
three  inches  long,  the  small  end  of  w-hich  is  fibrous,  and 
contains  a sweet  juice,  is  chewed,  and  the  juice  is  sucked 
out.  See  the  great  papai  leaves,  back  of  the  chapel, 
coming  up  out  of  a pit ! You  would  call  them  giant 
calla  leaves.  The  papai  is  a root  which  grows  in  the 


STTNUAY  MORNINO  0\  APATANfi. 


52 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


mud,  and  is  sometimes  as  large  as  a half-barrel.  The 
natives  eat  it  as  a luxury. 

The  houses  of  the  natives  on  the  left  have,  you  see, 
no  sides,  and  the  eaves  are  very  low.  We  must  always 
stoop  to  enter  them,  but,  when  we  have  once  entered,  we 
can  see  what  the  people  are  doing  in  the  next  man’s 
house,  and  so  on,  through  the  village.  The  hut  in  the 
distance  is  a kitchen  where  poor  old  women  are  compelled 
to  do  the  cooking,  half-smothered  by  the  smoke. 


CHAPTER  XIH. 

HER  YEARLY  VISITS. 

The  annual  return  of  the  Morning  Star  was  always 
looked  forward  to  with  great  interest.  It  would  be  diffi- 
cult to  say  who  of  the  missionaries  wished  to  see  her 
most ; but  I can  assure  my  young  readers  that  some  of 
the  most  joyous  days  of  my  life  were  those  on  which  she 
hove  in  sight. 

The  heathen  children  soon  learned  how  we  felt,  when 
the  time  of  her  arrival  drew  near.  As  soon  as  a sail  was 
seen  in  the  distant  horizon,  a shout  of  “ Te  ro  ! ” (“  Sail 
ho  1 ”)  was  set  up.  Our  waiting  ears  were  not  long  in 
catching  the  sound,  and  immediately  we  sprang  for  the 
spy -glass.  ^Vith  almost  breathless  suspense  it  was  direct- 
ed to  the  far-off  vessel.  For  a moment  everybody  kept 
still.  If  the  “ white  flag  ” was  seen  at  the  mast-head,  we 
were  sure  that  she  was  coming ; and  shouts  of  joy,  the 
clapping  of  hands,  and  happy  faces,  gave  indications  of 
the  hearty  welcome  we  were  ready  to  give  her.  A laige 
white  flag,  with  the  word  WELCOME  upon  it,  was 
speedily  flung  to  the  breeze  from  a pole  tied  to  the  top 
of  a lofty  cocoa-nut  tree ; and  the  missionaries’  wives 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


53 


made  haste  to  prepare  shore-comforts  for  the  -vveary  voy- 
agers. The  picture  on  page  41  will  give  you  an  imperfect 
idea  of  the  scene. 

Kanoa  and  myself,  launching  our  little  Alfred^  out 
to  meet  the  Morning  Star  in  mid-lagoon.  Oh,  what 
moments  were  those  during  which  we  watched  the  dear 
vessel,  as  steadily,  but  surely,  we  came  nearer  and  nearer 
to  each  other ! Whom  shall  we  greet  on  board  ? The 
same  kind  eaptain,  or  some  new  face  ? What  mission- 
aries shall  we  find,  coming  to  help  us  ? What  mis- 
sionary lather  fi-om  the  Sandwich  Islands  will  counsel 
and  encourage  us  ? AVhat  shall  we  hear  of  fathers  and 
mothers,  brothers  and  sisters  ? Are  they  yet  alive  ? 
And  that  wicked  Rebellion  ! What  battles  have  there 
been  ? '\\’hat  victories  and  what  defeats  ? Oh,  this 

dreadful  suspense,  when  the  life  of  our  father-land  is  in 
peril ! 

And  then  there  was  the  large  mail-bag,  with  its  many 
letters  from  the  many  friends  who  had  remembered  us  in 
our  loneliness.  We  had  hardly  time  to  think  of  the  good 
things  to  eat  which  the  children’s  vessel  had  brought  us,  — 
the  flour  and  salt-beef,  and  potatoes,  sweet  and  Irish,  (we 
had  eaten  none  for  months,)  the  watermelons,  the  ba- 
nanas, the  oranges,  the  nice  jars  of  jelly  and  cans  of 
fruit  which  loving  friends  (Go<l  bless  them  I)  had  sent  us. 
And  the  new  clothes,  and  shoes,  and  umbrellas,  were 
worth  thinking  of,  had  there  not  been  so  many  other 
things  of  more  value. 

And  now,  as  the  beautiful  vessel  sails  past  our  boat,  a 
line  is  thrown  to  us.  In  a moment  we  are  on  board,  and 
then  the  hearty  shakes  of  the  hand,  the  searching  glances 
for  familiar  faces,  the  thrilling  items  of  news  ! In  a few 
moments  we  ai’e  at  anchor  oil’  the  mission  premises. 
Friends  go  down  with  us  into  our  little  boat;  the  mail- 
bag  and  a few  packages  are  put  in,  with  a pail  of  potatoes 
for  immediate  use ; and  we  pull  for  the  shore. 

Our  wives  watch  us  with  intense  earnestness,  to  see  if 


54 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


they  can  recognize  those  who  have  come  so  many  hun- 
dreds of  miles  to  our  island  home.  The  natives  crowd 
down  to  the  beach  to  meet  us ; and,  taking  up  one  parcel 
after  another,  go  with  us  to  the  humble  cottage  of  the 
missionary,  and  almost  immediately  fill  every  place  avaih 
able  for  sitting.  Perhaps  the  missionary’s  wife  welcomes 
to  her  door  the  first  white  woman  that  she  has  seen  in 
nearly  two  jeare.  The  Hawaiian  missionaries  assemble 
with  us,  and  thanks  are  returned  to  God  for  bringing  the 
Morning  Star  once  more  to  us  in  safety. 

Such  hours  of  meeting  are  precious,  and  words  fly 
rapidly.  The  captain  and  friends  visit  our  little  schools, 
or  attend  w’orship  in  our  chapel.  In  due  time  our  sup- 
plies are  landed  ; our  mail  to  friends  is  put  on  board ; 
and  the  little  vessel  takes  her  leave,  to  be  absent  ctgain 
for  many  long,  long  months.  Happy,  golden  hours ! 
Bright  sunbeams  through  the  thick  clouds  of  isolation  ! 
How  soon  they  are  gone  ! But  our  hearts  are  refi-eshed, 
and  w’e  gird  ourselves  anew  for  the  work  before  us. 

Once  in  two  years  we  join  the  vessel,  to  go  with  her  to 
Ponape,  distant  one  thousand  miles,  to  attend  the  meeting 
of  the  Micronesia  mission.  This  absence  of  two  months, 
much  of  the  time  being  spent  on  board  the  Morning  Star, 
renews  our  acquaintance  with  the  little  craft  that  brought 
us  to  our  Micronesian  home.  We  think  often  of  those 
dear  children  that  desired  to  help  us  in  our  blessed  work 
of  telling  the  heathen  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

As  we  draw  near  the  difl'erent  stations,  where  our  fel- 
low-missionaries dwell,  w'e  often  say,  “ How'  little  do  these 
dear  friends  know  wdiere  the  Morning  Star  is  just  now; 
and  how  soon  their  hearts  will  overflow'  with  joy  ! ” And 
how  little  did  toe  know  w'hether  our  friends  were  alive  or 
not ! For  a whole  year,  perhaps,  we  had  heard  no  tidings 
of  them,  so  little  intercourse  is  there  between  these  isl- 
ands. How  eagerly  did  we  watch  the  canoes,  as  they 
came  to  meet  us,  to  see  if  they  contained  a brother  mis- 
sionary ! 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


55 


I well  remember  the  sad  news  which  we  told  to  one 
brother,  as  he  boarded  us.  Ills  wife  had  died  in  Honolulu, 
months  before ! He  had  been  waiting  seven  months  for  a 
vessel,  which  left  him  on  Ponape,  intending  to  call  in  five 
weeks,  and  take  him  to  his  invalid  companion. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

SOME  THINGS  SHE  IIKOL’GHT,  AND  HOW  WE  USED  THEM. 

I.v  this  chapter  I wish  to  tell  you  about  a few  of  the 
good  things  which  the  Morning  Star  brought  us.  One  of 
these  was  a nice  surf-boat,  which  we  called  the  Star  of 
Peace.  It  was  mainly  purchased  with  money  given  to  us 
by  Captain  Moore  and  his  crew,  when  they  took  leave  of 
us  in  December,  1857. 

We  had  visited  every  part  of  Apaiang  in  the  little  Al- 
fred; and  we  had  even  crossed  in  her  to  Tarawa,  the 
largest  island  of  the  group,  being  towed  by  one  of  the 
great  war-[)roa.s,  which  was  bearing  presents  from  our  king 
to  a high  chief,  whose  two  sons  had  been  recently  be- 
trothed to  two  of  his  daughters. 

But  there  were  other  islands  which  could  not  be  reached 
in  our  small  boat,  and  on  which  the  Gospel  had  never  been 
preached.  To  these  we  longed  to  go.  One  of  them 
could  be  seen  from  the  top  of  the  cocoa-nut  trees  near  our 
house  ; but  the  ocean  channel  was  more  than  twenty  miles 
wide,  and  the  current  often  so  swift  as  to  make  it  very 
unsafe  to  venture  across  in  the  Alfred. 

We  were  very  glad,  therefore,  when  the  new  surf-boat 
arrived  in  the  Morning  Star,  and  still  more  glad  were  we, 
when  Captain  Gelett  said,  after  he.  had  helped  me  rig  it, 
that  he  thought  I might  safely  cross  to  Marakei  and 
Maiana  ; for  he  thought  that  I was  a pretty  good  sailor. 


56 


STOUY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


You  may  be  sure  that  I was  anxious  to  be  off  as  soon 

possible.  I went  first  to  Tarawa,  where  I left  Airs. 
Bmgham,  and  then  to  Alaiana.  On  my  return  from  the 
latter,  I had  a much  harder  time  than  I expected.  The 
wind  was  favorable  when  I started  ; but  it  changed  after- 
wards, and  we  were  greatly  at  the  mercy  of  a current  which 
was  very  strong.  At  sundown,  Tarawa  bore  due  east, 
about  twelve  miles.  Tlie  wind  lulled,  but  the  sea  was 
rough,  and  we  were  fast  drifting  to  the  westward.  A fear- 
ful hour  was  that ! No  land  to  the  leeward  for  more  than 
two  hundred  miles  ! I was  in  just  the  place  where  Air. 
Huntley  went  adrift,  on  attempting  to  return  to  Alaiana, 
after  the  battle  of  February  19,  1858.  He  was  picke<l  up 
thirty  days  later,  all  his  companions  having  starved  to 
death.  We  had  food  and  water  to  sustain  life  for  a 
month ; but  there  are  times  when  no  ship  can  beat  up 
against  this  current. 

At  length,  however,  by  dint  of  hard  rowing,  we  got 
into  stiller  water,  under  the  lee  of  Tarawa ; and  a little 
after  midnight,  we  made  out  to  reach  the  island.  You 
will  not  wonder  that  we  were  truly  joyful  and  thankful 
for  our  escape,  from  what  seemed  to  be  very  great  danger. 

I had  sometimes  seen  Alarakei  fi-om  the  top  of  a cocoa- 
nut  tree,  and  I longed  to  preach  the  Gospel  there.  A boat 
like  the  Star  of  Peace  can  seldom  cross  thither ; but  one 
day  everything  seemed  to  be  favorable,  and  Kanoa  and 
myselt’  were  soon  under  way.  Now  if  you  will  turn  to 
Acts  xxvii.  13-15,  you  will  see  that  the  weather  may  seem 
to  be  very  good  for  a voyage,  and  yet,  “ not  long  after,’’ 
“ a tempestuous  wind  ” may  arise.  This  was  precisely 
our  case.  About  three  o’clock  in  the  afternoon  a fearful 
squall  approached.  As  we  were  out  on  a wide  sea, 
anxious  to  reach,  before  night,  a strange  island,  with  no 
ship  channel  to  its  lagoon,  I kept  on  sail  to  the  last  mo- 
ment, bidding  one  of  the  men  “ stand  by  the  halyards,’’ 
and  let  them  go  at  an  instant’s  warning. 

At  length  I could  venture  no  longer.  We  lowered 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


57 


and  furled  our  sails,  and  had  hardly  seated  ourselves, 
when  the  tempest  bui-st  upon  us  with  tremendous  fury. 
As  soon  as  it  abated,  we  reefed  our  mainsail,  and,  hoisting 
it  up  a little,  pushed  on.  The  sea  was  beginning  to  run 
wildly,  and  the  large  blUows  raised  their  white  crests 
around  us.  The  Star  of  Peace  had  experienced  no  such 
sea  as  that.  Suddenly  a towering  wave  burst  upon  us, 
drenching  us  from  stem  to  stern.  Blinded  bj-  the  spray, 
for  the  moment  I hardly  knew  our  fate.  Thanks  to  our 
kind  Keeper,  the  boat  still  danced  on.  But  frightened 
faces  turned  towards  me,' as  if  to  read  the  future  in  my 
countenance. 

Just  at  dark,  it  being  difficult  to  distinguish  people  on 
the  shore,  we  found  ourselves  off  a narrow  break  in  the 
cocoa-nut  and  pandanus  trees.  This  w'as  the  so-called 
boat  channel,  a fearful  place,  with  billows  dashing  their 
foam  against  the  rocks.  I trembled  to  enter,  and  would 
not  venture  myself  at  the  helm,  lest  I should  not  under- 
stand the  rapid  commands  of  the  pilot,  but  put  my  old 
teacher  at  that  jiost,  and  took  his  oar.  For  a moment  we 
paused,  as  tlie  billows  began  to  lift  their  crests  before 
breaking.  Two  large  ones  passed,  and  we  sprang  to  our 
oars.  In  the  darkness,  our  pilot  had  “ headed-in  ” a little 
too  soon,  and  in  order  to  enter  a gap  between  the  rocks, 
not  forty  feet  wide,  was  obliged  to  slant  our  course  a little, 
— a most  perilous  feat ! For  an  instant  death  seemed 
staring  me  in  the  face.  Swimmer  that  1 w;is,  should  we 
swamp,  the  chances  for  my  escape  were  exceedingly  small, 
as  I was  not  accustomed  to  surf-swimming.  But  the 
blessed  Master  was  with  us.  A small  wave  took  us  upon 
its  crest,  and  we  were  hurried  through  this  nari’ow  vortex 
in  a moment’s  time. 

But  what  a sight  greeted  our  eyes  the  next  morning ! 
We  found  ourselves  upon  one  of  the  loveliest  of  all  the 
coral  islands.  About  six  miles  in  length,  from  one  to 
three  in  width,  and  enclosing  a placid  lagoon  on  all  sides 
by  wooded  land,  with  fairy-like  islets  here  and  there,  it 


58 


STORY  OK  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


lay  sj)read  out  before  us.  Tlie  Gospel  light  for  the  first 
time  now  beamed  upon  it.  We  preached  in  all  it« 
villages ; and  more  than  a thousand  souls  heard  of  the 
way  of  life. 

In  passing  out  of  this  lagoon,  there  was  quite  as  much 
peril  as  there  had  been  in  passing  in.  But  I will  not 
describe  the  scene.  Possibly  you  may  think  that  my 
zeal  for  ocean  touring  in  an  open  boat  was  by  this  time 
slightly  cooled,  or.  at  least,  that  it  ought  to  have  been. 
But  it  is  hard  to  see  a jropulous  island  without  the  Gospel, 
and  not  do  anything  for  it. 

AVishing  to  make  this  part  of  our  work  safer,  the  Sab- 
bath School  children  of  California  sent  us  a larger  boat 
than  the  Star  of  Peace,  called  the  Evening  Star.  You 
will  see  a picture  of  her  on  the  last  page  of  the  cover. 
AVe  thank  these  children  very  much  for  their  generous 
gift. 

On  page  17  you  can  see  a picture  of  the  Star  of 
Peace.  The  scene  is  intended  to  illustrate  our  arrival 
at  a heathen  village.  AA'^e  are  bound  to  the  maneaha. 
Kanoa  is  the  man  with  the  umbrella.  Do  you  see  the 
little  boys  who  are  running  towards  us  ? They  wish  to 
find  out  why  the  I-matang  (fbreignei-s)  have  come  ; but 
perhaps  they  will  stay  and  play  with  our  boat,  instead  of 
going  with  us  to  be  taught.  At  the  left  is  a stout  man 
carrying  home  a heavy  load  of  cocoa-nuts  and  pandanus 
fruit  on  a stick  across  his  shoulder,  as  neither  he  nor  his 
friends  have  a cart  or  wheelbarrow. 

Among  other  “ worthy  deeds  ” of  the  Morning  Star, 
she  has  carried  printing-presses  to  Micronesia.  The  story 
of  our  press  at  Apaiang  I think  will  jdease  you. 

Nearly  five  years  after  we  landed  there,  we  sent  a copy 
of  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  in  the  Gilbert  Island  language 
to  Honolulu,  by  the  hands  of  Kanoa,  to  be  printed  there, 
as  also  a small  hymn-book.  Thirteen  months  later, 
Kanoa  returned  in  the  Morning  Star,  bringing  back  an 
edition  of  the  hymn-book,  but  no  printed  copy  of  Matthew. 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


59 


We  were  very  sorry,  for  we  had  often  told  our  pupils  that 
they  would  soon  have  an  entire  Gospel. 

It  happened  that  a printing-press  had  just  been  sent  to 
ns  in  the  Morning  Star ; and  so  we  said,  “ We  can  print 
Matthew  for  ourselves.”  Tlie  bo.x  which  was  supposed  to 
contain  the  press  was  landed,  and  soon  opened.  We 
found  in  it  a small  box  of  types,  casps,  and  other  things 
used  in  printing,  but  no  press ! The  captain  felt  sure 
that  all  had  been  landed ; but  I could  not  rest  until  I had 
boarded  the  vessel  and  inquired  of  the  mate.  He  assured 
me  that  there  was  nothing  more.  As  I paddled  home 
that  evening,  my  heart  was  doubly  heavy,  from  this  second 
disappointment. 

Next  morning  the  examination  of  one  of  our  schools 
was  held ; and  while  this  was  going  on,  the  captain  came 
to  inform  me  that  another  search  for  the  missing  press  was 
to  be  made ; and,  in  case  it  should  be  tbund,  the  Stars 
and  Stripes  would  be  hoisted.  How  great  was  our  joy, 
upon  leaving  the  school-house,  to  see  the  old  flag  at  the 
mast-head ! 

The  Morning  Star  soon  left  us.  5\'e  had  a press,  but 
no  printer.  A book,  however,  telling  us  how  to  print  had 
been  sent,  and  we  hoped  soon  to  understand  the  business. 
Only  two  days  after  Captain  James’s  departure,  a boat 
entered  our  lagoon,  which  had  gone  adrift  with  several 
sailors,  when  trying  to  reach  a small  guano  island,  some 
forty  miles  from  the  place  where  they  had  been  wrecked. 
For  ten  days  they  were  upon  the  ocean,  and  after  a voy- 
age of  six  hundred  miles  they  reached  Maiana. 

They  rested  one  night,  anil  then  set  out  for  Apaiang, 
in  the  hope  of  finding  the  Morning  Star,  and  going  in  her 
to  Honolulu.  The  current  was  too  strong,  and  the  wind 
too  much  ahead ; so  they  put  b.ack,  and  remained  five 
days  longer.  They  then  set  out  again  for  Apaiang,  and 
reached  us  just  too  late ! A few  weeks  later  they  had 
an  opportunity  of  leaving  for  Sydney  in  a cocoa-nut  oil 
trader. 


60 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


One  of  the  men  was  a printer,  and  he  was  willing  to 
remain,  and  set  our  little  press  to  work.  In  a few  weeks 
we  had  Matthew  ready  for  our  pupils ! Mr.  Hotchkiss 
(for  that  was  his  name)  also  printed  several  other  small 
books,  which  were  greatly  needed.  We  love  to  think 
that  God  sent  that  kind  printer  to  us  over  the  wide 
ocean,  in  an  open  boat,  to  help  us  in  giving  the  Word  of 
Life  to  the  poor  Gilbert  Islanders. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

MICnOXESI.\NS  WHO  SAILED  IX  HER. 

Let  me  tell  you  about  some  of  the  Micronesians  who 
have  sailed  in  the  Morning  Star.  I will  first  speak  of 
Joseph,  from  whom  I once  expected  a great  deal,  but  who 
afterwards  disappointed  me.  Still  I do  not  give  him  up. 
I often  pray  that  he  may  retum  to  the  path  of  duty  and 
usefulness ; and  I want  you  to  pray  for  him  too. 

Only  thirteen  letters  (a,  e,  i,  o,  u,  b,  k,  m,  n,  h,  (ng), 
r,  t,  w)  are  needed  for  writing  the  Gilbert  Island  lan- 
guage. We  had  taught  a few  children  to  spell  ba,  be,  &c., 
when  one  day  I heard  a lad  whom  we  had  never  taught, 
saying  over  with  great  rapidity,  “ Ba,  be,  bi,  bo,  bu  ; ka. 
ke,  ki,  ko,  ku ; ma,  me,”  &c.  I was  much  jileased,  for  I 
thought  to  myself,  “This  boy  must  be  very  bright;”  and 
indeed  he  ivas  very  bright.  We  took  great  pains  to 
teach  him ; and  soon  he  learned  to  read  and  write  his  own 
language  very  fast. 

After  a while  he  came  to  live  with  us,  with  the  consent 
of  his  father,  a brother  of  the  old  king  that  welcomed  us 
to  Apaiang.  We  taught  him  English  also,  in  the  hope 
that  he  would  be  more  useful  as  an  assistant  translator  of 
the  New  Testament.  But  he  made  “^ome  curious  mistakes. 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


fi] 


He  could  not  easily  distinguish  between  h and  p,  and  when 
he  tried  to  read  the  words,  “ big  pig,”  he  would  frequently 
say,  “ pig  big.”  Other  Gilbert  Islanders  would  have  done 
the  same  thing. 

He  took  much  interest  in  the  various  generals  who 
were  fighting  to  save  our  country,  and  he  knew  the 
names  of  several  of  them.  On  one  occasion  he  saw  in 
large  letters,  in  an  advertisement,  the  words,  “ General 
Merchandise.”  Having  spelled  them  out,  he  asked,  “ Does 
this  General  command  troops  ? ” Ekeuea  (for  such  was 
his  heatlien  name)  heli>ed  us  very  much  in  learning  his 
language.  After  we  had  been  at  Apaiang  a good  while, 
I offered  him  a cent  a word  for  all  the  new  words  he 
would  define  for  us.  In  a few  montlis  he  had  give  us 
nearly  a thousand  ! 

As  he  learned  about  the  love  of  Jesus,  he  seemed  very 
much  interested  ; and  we  had  good  reason  to  think  him  a 
Christian.  At  his  baptism  he  chose  the  name  of  Joseph, 
or,  tis  it  is  written  in  his  language,  Idteba. 

We  took  him  with  us  on  one  of  our  voyages  to  Kusaie 
and  Ponape.  He  thought  the  Marshall  Islanders  hideous- 
looking  j)eo[)le,  with  their  great  ear-rings  and  knotted 
hair.  Their  language  he  called  “jabber.”  His  wonder 
at  the  mountains  of  Kusaie  (for  he  had  never  seen  so 
much  as  a hill  before)  was  very  great.  I rambled  with 
him  through  the  woods  and  by  the  running  streams,  of 
which  there  are  none  in  the  Gilbert  Islands ; and  together 
we  climbed,  with  great  difficulty,  to  the  top  of  the  highest 
mountain.  The  story  of  this  ascent  he  never  wearied  in 
telling  his  people,  after  his  return. 

One  niglit  we  heard  loud  crying ; and  we  supposed  it 
to  come  from  some  heathen  child.  The  next  morning 
Joseph  told  us  that  he  had  dreamed  of  seeing  a savage 
cut  off  my  head  ; and,  as  he  awoke,  the  dream  seemed  so 
real,  that  he  arose,  left  his  little  house,  and  sat  under  the 
cocoa-nut  trees  at  the  dead  of  night,  to  give  vent  to  his 
sorrow. 


62 


STORY  OF  THE  MORXING  STAR. 


He  often  went  with  me  on  my  tours  to  a«sist  in  telling 
the  people  about  Jesus ; and  they  always  liked  to  hear 
him.  His  help  too,  in  translating  portions  of  the  New 
Testament,  was  very  great.  He  once  visited  Butaritari 
and  Makin,  islands  where  I had  never  preached,  and, 
gathering  many  of  the  people  together,  told  them  the 
great  news  of  salvation  through  Jesus  Christ.  The  journal 
which  he  kept  was  very  interesting. 

After  a time  a white  man  gave  him  some  liquor,  and  he 
became  intoxicated.  From  that  day  he  left  us ; perhaps 
he  is  still  wandering.  Will  not  my  young  friends  pray 
that  he  may  be  brought  back  to  the  true  fold  ? My  heart 
yearns  over  him. 

But  let  me  speak  of  another  Micronesian,  whose  history 
is  more  cheering,  and  who  is  now  at  rest  with  the  Lord 
Jesus.  When  Snow  removed  from  Kusaie  to  Ebon, 
in  1862,  he  left  some  thirty  converts  behind,  with  many 
others  who  loved  him  very  much.  It  was  a sad  day  for 
them,  as  I well  remember,  when  he  went  on  board  the 
Morning  Star.  Many  of  them  followed  him  in  their 
canoes  for  a mile  or  two.  At  length  they  said  their  last 
“ good-byes,’’  and  returned  to  their  island-home,  as  sheep 
without  a shepherd.  But  one  of  the  good  women,  the 
wife  of  Keduka,  said  in  her  simplicity  that  Jesus  would  be 
their  missionary  now  ; and  her  words  have  been  fulfilled. 
He  has,  in  very  deed,  taken  care  of  them ; and  you  will 
be  glad  to  know  that  your  little  packet  has  several  times 
carried  Mr.  Snow  to  them,  to  spend  a few  days,  while  she 
should  be  gone  to  Ponape.  It  has  been  verj-  pleasant  for 
him  to  make  these  visits ; for  he  has  always  found  new 
converts  desirous  of  being  baptized.  Shall  not  this  en- 
courage us  to  plant  the  Gospel  on  every  island  of  Micro- 
nesia ? 

]\Ir.  Snow  took  with  him  to  Ebon  a young  Christian 
named  Selpas,  to  aid  in  making  some  translations,  which 
he  desired  to  complete  for  the  Kusaieans.  He  was 
very  helpful,  and  he  set  a good  example  of  Christian  liv- 


MU.  SNOWS  DEPARTI  UE  FROM  KUSAIE. 


04 


STORY  OF  THE  MORXiyO  STAR. 


ing  before  the  natives  of  Ebon.  At  length  he  became 
sick,  and  was  glad  to  return  to  Kusaie  before  he  should 
die.  When  near  his  native  island,  and  very  feeble,  Mr. 
Snow  asked  him  where  he  wanted  most  to  be,  expecting 
him  to  say,  “ In  Kusaie.”  He  replied,  ‘‘  In  heaven.”  Mr. 
Snow  then  asked  whom  he  most  desired  to  see,  thinking 
the  answer  would  be,  “ My  mother ; ” but  it  was  “ Jesus.” 
He  was  spared  to  reach  Kusaie,  and  to  see  his  mother  for 
a few  hours.  Then  he  was  taken  to  his  home  above  ; and 
there  he  looks  upon  the  face  of  the  Blessed  One,  singing 
doubtless,  (as  he  was  wont  to  do  so  sweetly  upon  earth, 
but  oh,  how  much  more  sweetly  now,)  — 

“ Okasak  nunik  on  nu  inwo, 

On  nu  sin  Leum  su  es  la  ko; 

El  lunsel  na  in  on  nu  sel 

Lua  kulaa  Leura  nia  inwo  nu  lal.” 

(“  Awake,  my  soul,  to  joyful  lays, 

And  sing  the  great  Redeemer's  praise; 

He  justly  claims  a song  from  me. 

His  loving  kindness,  oh,  how  free.”) 

On  the  preceding  page  is  a picture  of  Mr.  Snow’s  de- 
parture from  the  beautiful  home  of  Selpas.  Tlie  Morning 
Star  is  seen  coming  out  of  the  harbor,  of  which  I have 
spoken  as  so  picturesque,  and  where  at  least  two  whale- 
ships  have  been  wrecked  in  trying  to  put  to  sea.  In  her 
wake  is  the  fleet  of  native  Christians,  sadly  following  their 
teacher  and  friends  as  far  as  tliey  dare. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

HER  LAST  VISIT  TO  THE  MARQUESAS  ISLANDS. 

I MUST  now  speak  of  the  last  visit  of  the  Morning  Star 
to  the  iManjuesas  Islands.  Besides  her  usual  freight,  she 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


C.5 


took  out  two  guns,  two  gold  watches,  two  silver  medals 
and  other  things,  a gift  from  President  Lincoln.  “ But 
how  came  she,  a missionary  vessel,  to  carry  such  things 
to  a heathen  land,”  you  ask,  “ and  that  too  from  our  good 
President  ? ” I will  tell  you. 

An  American  whale-ship  having  touched  at  the  Alar- 
quesas  Islands  for  su})plies,  the  firet  mate  (Mr.  Whalon) 
went  asliore ; whereupon  lie  was  seized  and  dragged 
away.  Wliy  ? That  he  might  be  killed  and  eaten ! 
But  what  had  he  done  ? Nothing.  Wicked  men  from 
Peru  had  landed  there,  and  stolen  a number  of  the  iMar- 
quesans,  to  make  slaves  of  them.  One  of  these  poor 
creatures  was  the  son  of  a chief  The  father,  of  coui-se, 
was  very  angry.  He  was  so  angry,  indeed,  that  he  re- 
solved to  kill  and  eat  the  first  white  men  who  should  fall 
into  his  hands.  And  now  the  day  of  vengeance  had 
come.  The  mate  was  in  his  power ! Others  would  have 
fallen  into  the  same  snare,  but  for  a ilanjuesan  girl,  liv- 
ing in  the  family  of  Kekela,  (mentioned  in  Chapter  HI.,) 
who  made  signs  to  them  to  go  back  to  their  vessel,  crying 
out,  “ Pull  away  ! pull  away  ! ” 

Kekela  and  others  made  haste  to  re.«cue  the  mate.  At 
first  the  wrathful  chief  refused  to  give  up  his  victim ; but 
he  yielded  at  length  to  Kekela’s  entreaties,  and  offered  to 
receive  as  a ran.som  his  new  si.\-oared  boat,  given  him  by 
his  benefactor  in  Boston,  which  he  greatly  prized,  and 
greatly  needed  in  his  missionary  work.  But  the  good 
man  did  not  hesitate  a moment  to  aceept  the  hard  terms. 
Another  chief  interfered,  however,  and  satisfied  the  fieree 
cannibal  with  a gun  and  some  other  things.  This  story 
was  told  to  our  kind-hearted  President ; and  from  his  own 
money,  it  is  said,  he  gave  five  hundred  dollars  to  be  dis- 
tributed among  Mr.  Whalon’s  deliverers. 

You  would  be  glad,  I doubt  not,  to  see  the  letter  which 
Kekela  wrote  to  Mr.  I.,incoln ; but  I have  room  lor  only 
a part  of  it : — 


5 


66 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


“ Greetings  to  you,  great  and  good  Friend  ! ” 

“ My  mind  is  stirred  up  to  address  you  in  friendship.” 
“ I greatly  respect  you  for  holding  converse  with  such 
humble  ones.  Such  you  well  know  us  to  be.”  “When 
I saw  one  of  your  countrymen,  a citizen  of  your  great 
nation,  ill-treated,  and  about  to  be  baked  and  eaten,  as  a 
pig  is  eaten,  I ran  to  deliver  him,  full  of  pity  and  grief  at 
the  evil  deed  of  these  benighted  people.” 

“ As  to  this  friendly  deed  of  mine  in  saving  Mr.  Whalon, 
its  seed  came  from  your  great  land,  and  was  brought  by 
certain  of  your  countrymen,  who  had  received  the  love 
of  God.  It  was  planted  in  Hawaii,  and  I brought  it  to 
plant  in  this  land  and  in  these  dark  regions,  that  they 
might  receive  the  root  of  all  that  is  good  and  true,  which 
is  love. 

“ 1.  Love  to  Jehovah. 

“ 2.  Love  to  self. 

“ 3.  Love  to  our  neighbor.” 

“ This  is  a great  thing  for  your  great  nation  to  boast 
of,  before  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  From  your  great 
land  a most  precious  seed  was  brought  to  the  land  of 
darkness.” 

“ How  shall  I repay  your  great  kindness  to  me  ? Thus 
David  asked  of  Jehovah,  and  thus  I ask  of  you,  the 
President  of  the  United  States.  This  is  my  only  pay- 
ment,— that  which  I have  received  of  the  Lord,  — aloha, 
(love.)  May  the  love  of  the  Lord  Jesus  abound  with  you 
until  the  end  of  this  terrible  war  in  your  land.” 

Alas,  that  the  great  and  good  man  to  whom  it  was  ad- 
dressed, did  not  live  to  see  this  letter ! When  it  reached 
Washington  our  whole  land  was  in  mourning. 


STOUY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


G7 


CHAPTER  XVn. 

IIEK  LAST  VISIT  TO  MICRONESIA. 

On  the  17th  of  July,  1865,  we  went  on  board  the 
Morninr/  Star  at  Honolulu,  not  to  return  to  the  Gilbert 
Tsland-s,  as  we  longed  to  do,  but  to  bid  “ good-bye  ” to  our 
fellow-laborei's  who  were  to  sail  for  Micronesia.  Among 
tliein  was  Mr.  Snow,  who  had  so  kindly  left  his  work  at 
Ebon  to  assist  in  caring  for  me  on  the  passage  to  Hono- 
lulu. It  was  hard  to  part  with  your  dear  little  vessel ! 

Rev.  Air.  Emerson  of  Wai<alua,  who  sailed  in  her,  anil 
touched  at  all  the  stations  in  Alicronesia,  has  given  an 
account  of  what  he  saw.  He  first  visited  Tarawa,  where 
there  were  two  Hawaiian  missionaries,  Alahoe  and  Haina, 
of  whom  he  speaks  as  follows  : “ These  brethren  have 
been  about  five  yeai-s  in  tins  field.  . . . They  have  erected 
two  good-sized  meeting-houses  and  two  school-houses.  . . . 
Tlieir  own  buildings  were  mainly  erected  by  their  own 
hands,  and  all  look  neat  and  more  comfortable  than  we  at 
first  enjoyed  at  the  Sandwich  Islands.  ...  I could  not 
but  admire  these  laborers,  as  men  and  women  of  warm 
hearts  and  true  devotion  to  the  cause  of  our  Lord  and 
Master;  and  we  shall  e.xpect  to  hear  that  He  has  honored 
them  in  His  service.” 

From  Tarawa  the  Morning  Star  went  to  Apaiang.  I 
am  very  thankful  to  learn  with  how  much  interest  the 
people  heard  from  Mr.  Snow  an  account  of  my  sickness 
and  return  to  this  country,  and  to  know  that  the  king  and 
queen  continued  to  “ run  well.”  While  Mr.  Emerson  saw 
less  evidence  of  the  Siiirit’s  presence  among  the  Gilbert 
Islanders  than  elsewhere,  still  he  says,  “ There  is  much 
occasion  to  give  thanks  and  take  courage.” 

The  prayer-meeting  which  Mr.  Emerson  attended  the 
Wednesday  evening  he  spent  at  Ebon,  “ was  one  of  pecul- 
iar interest,  and  showed  that  there  was  a Christian  feel- 


C8 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


ing  among  a people  so  recently  heathen.  Although  but 
partially  clothed,  their  appearance  was  every  way  becom- 
ing and  decent.”  At  an  examination  of  the  schools  there 
were  present  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  pupils,  of  whom 
forty-four  could  repeat  the  Gospel  of  Mark.  (How  many 
in  the  United  States  can  do  this  ?) 

At  Kusaie  the  Lord’s  work  was  advancing  in  a very 
remarkable  manner.  Tliey  had  only  a part  of  the  New 
Testament;  but  they  were  studying  it  very  carefully,  Mr. 
Emerson  says,  “ Not  to  know  whelher  things  are  so,  for  of 
that  they  ha\-e  no  doubt,  but  to  know  what  they  are. 
Tlie  Gospel  of  John,  which  they  have  had  for  a year  or 
more,  is  committed  entirely  to  memory  by  many.  That 
this  people  have  simple,  child-like  confidence  in  God,  is  so 
apparent  that  no  one  can  mistake  it,” 

Leaving  Mr.  Snow  with  his  people  on  Kusaie,  the 
Morning  Star  went  on  to  Ponape,  where  iMr.  and  Mrs 
Sturges  had  been  for  four  years  alone,  with  more  than 
they  could  do,  earnestly  begging  for  some  one  to  come 
and  help  them.  The}'  were,  therefore,  very  glad  to  see 
Mr.  and  Mre.  Doane,  who  were  to  be  their  fellow-laborers. 
Mr.  Emereon  spent  two  weeks  on  this  island,  visiting 
different  places,  and  finding  much  to  interest  him  in  the 
progress  of  the  Gospel. 

Two  new  stations  were  commenced  during  this  voyage. 
Kanoa  and  Maka  were  placed  on  Butaritari,  (leaving 
Aumai  and  Kapu  in  charge  of  Apaiang.)  and  Kapali 
was  transferred  from  Namerik  to  Jaluit,  (leaving  Kaele- 
tnakule  alone.)  On  the  former  of  these  it  was  difficult  to 
gain  a foothold  ; but  “ after  much  talk  ” the  king  con- 
sented to  receive  the  two  Hawaiians.  Mr.  Snow  felt  that 
it  was  well  Kanoa  was  present ; for  it  needed  “ all  his 
amiable  skill  ” to  succeed.  The  people  feared  that  if  the 
missionaries  came,  they  would  be  obliged  to  give  up  all 
their  wives  but  one,  and  that  ail  the  children  would  be 
obliged  to  attend  schools,  &c.  But  Mr.  Snow  satisfied 
them  that  no  compulsion  would  be  used. 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


69 


On  the  12th  of  December,  I860,  the  Morning  Star 
returned  to  Honolulu,  thus  ending  her  voyages  as  a mis- 
sionary vessel.  She  has  done  a noble  work,  and  honored 
be  her  memory ! Listen  to  the  testimony  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Damon,  Seamen’s  Chaplain  at  Honolulu,  and  editor  of  the 
“ Friend  “ Having  advocated  the  building  of  the  Mor?i- 
ing  Star,  having  been  present  on  her  arrival  at  Honolulu 
in  1857,  having  witnessed  her  frequent  departures  for 
.Micronesia  and  Marquesas,  having  welcomed  her  arrival 
trom  those  distant  missionary  fields,  having  once  made  a 
delightful  voyage  in  her  through  the  Microncsian  Islands, 
and  having  been  fully  conversant  with  the  management 
of  the  little  craft,  during  the  entire  period  that  she  has 
been  sailing  in  the  service  of  missions,  it  affords  me  much 
pleasure  in  bearing  testimony  to  the  great  assistance  which 
she  has  rendered  the  missionary  cause.  A great  and  good 
work  has  been  accomplished  by  her  aiil.  The  hundred 
thousanil  stockholders  could  not  have  invested  their 
‘ dimes ' in  a more  paying  enterprise.” 


CHARTER  XVIII. 

CO.XCLL’SION. 

I HAVE  now  told  my  story.  But  before  we  bid  adieu 
to  our  little  vessel,  let  us  take  a parting  glance  at  the 
work  which  the  Morning  Star  has  helpeil  the  missionaries, 
-American  and  Hawaiian,  to  do.  Of  their  labors  in  re- 
ducing four  languages  to  writing,  in  translating  portions 
of  the  Scriptures  into  as  many  tongues,  and  in  preparing 
good  books  in  the  same,  I cannot  speak  at  length. 

We  have  seen  that  when  the  Morning  Star  first  visited 
Micronesia  not  a single  convert  had  been  baptized.  Only 
a few  pages  had  been  printetl,  and  that  in  a single  lan- 
guage. Now  two  Gospels  have  been  printed  in  the  Jlar- 
shall  Island  and  Kusaiean  languages,  one  quarter  of  the 


70 


STORY  OF  THE  MQRXIKG  STAR. 


New  Testament  in  the  Gilbert  Island  language,  more 
than  one  Gospel  in  the  Ponapean,  to  say  nothing  of  hymn- 
books,  primers,  and  other  books  in  all  the  four  languages. 

Go  with  me  to  Ponape,  and  let  Mr.  Sturges  point  yon 
to  more  than  two  thousand  persons,  who  “ are  now  by 
choice  and  in  their  sympathies  on  the  Lord’s  side.” 
“ There  is  much  light  on  our  little  island,”  he  says. 

Everywhere  the  people  are  eager  to  hear  the  truth. 
One  entire  tribe  has  abandoned  heathenism  and  ileclared 
itself  ‘ missionary.’  ” Places  and  objects,  once  held  sacred, 
are  now  treated  with  scorn.  “ The  highest  priests  tell 
me,  and  tell  the  crowd,  that  their  gods  and  their  teach- 
ings were  all  false.  Every  available  reader  is  put  to 
work  in  teaching  ‘ the  book  ; ’ and  it  is  very  gratifying  to 
see  the  progress  many  are  making.”  He  can  point  you 
to  large  congregations,  “ clothed  and  in  their  right  mind.” 
He  can  show  you  his  churches  with  nearly  two  hundred 
church-members,  whom  he  believes  to  be  true  Christians. 

And  now  Mr.  Snow  will  wish  you  to  visit  Kusaie,  that 
you  may  see  the  people  whom  he  left  nearly  four  years  ago. 
He  can  show  you  a Sabbath-school  of  one  hundred  and 
eighteen  pupils,  of  aU  ages,  sitting  in  little  circles  on  the 
floor,  some  of  the  classes  touching  the  backs  of  others,  and 
yet  with  no  disturbance  or  confusion.  He  can  point  you 
to  groups  of  Christians  hungry  for  the  Word  of  Life,  lying 
around  their  little  jacket-lamps  at  night,  working  their 
way  through  the  new  Gospel  of  ilatthew  or  the  new  hymn- 
book,  just  taken  out  to  them  in  the  Morning  Star.  He 
will  tell  you  that  he  never  made  a tour  of  the  island  when 
he  found  so  much  to  cheer  his  heart.  Of  the  people  he 
will  bear  this  striking  testimony : “ Formerly  stupid  as 
death,  indifferent  as  the  grave,  they  are  now  intensely  in- 
terested in  the  AVord  and  the  Work  of  Life.” 

Ami  you  must  go  to  Ebon  also,  and  see  the  little 
church  gathered  among  those  wild  savages,  to  whom  the 
Morning  Star  took  Hr.  Piereon  and  Mr.  Doane  in  1857. 
When  once  on  the  Mai-shall  Islands,  however,  you  may 
be  sure  that  the  Hawaiian  missionaries  will  hold  you  fast. 


STORY  OF  THE  MORNING  STAR. 


71 


till  you  shall  have  looked  in  upon  their  congregations  and 
their  schools.  But  you  will  be  richly  repaid  for  the  delay, 
when  you  hear  Aea  (who  is  supported  by  the  children 
of  American  missionaries  at  the  Sandwich  Islands)  ask- 
ing  you,  as  he  does  his  patrons,  to  praise  God  with  him 
by  singing  a Hawaiian  hymn,  (227  or  161,)  on  account 
of  his  converts,  beloved  of  Christ,  who  are  valiant  soldiers 
of  the  cross.  lie  will  say  of  them,  “ They  are  very  bold 
in  their  work.  If  they  meet  a person  in  the  road  or 
elsewhere,  they  stop  him  and  propose  to  hold  a meeting. 
. . . They  exhort  their  chiefs,  having  no  fear  of  men,  but 
remembering  Him  who  is  able  to  destroy  the  soul  in  hell.” 
I could  wish  to  show  you  some  fruit  on  the  Gilbert 
Islands,  but  I have  said  enou2:h.  The  £ood  work  is  still 
going  forward.  The  harvest  is  ripening,  and  soon,  we 
trust,  these  isles  of  Micronesia  will  be  full  of  the  praise 
of  our  Saviour  King,  to  whom  be  all  the  glory  ! 

And  now,  my  dear  young  I'riends,  I must  bid  you 
“ farewell  ” Very  pleasant  has  it  been  for  me  to  do  what 
I have  done,  in  telling  you  the  story  of  your  vessel.  I 
love  the  Morning  Star,  my  home  for  so  many  months  upon 
the  deep,  when  about  my  Master’s  business.  Many  a 
thrill  has  she  sent  through  my  heart.  By  the  blessing  of 
God  she  has  saved  my  life.  Why  should  I not  love  her, 
and  her  owners  too  ? Why  should  I not,  with  a full 
heart,  tell  them  of  her,  — of  the  goo<l  she  has  done  to 
me,  to  my  companions,  and  to  the  dying  heathen  ? How 
could  I consent  to  part  with  her,  except  in  the  eonfident 
hope  that  soon  another  and  better  ‘‘  children’s  vessel  ” 
would  be  ready  to  bear  me  hence  again, 

“ Far  in  heathen  lands  to  dwell,” 

her  sails  fdled  with  the  breath  of  prayer  from  ten  times 
ten  thousand  youthful  hearts  ! Gentle  reader,  farewell ' 

“ And  when  onr  labors  all  are  o’er, 

Then  we  shall  meet  to  part  no  more,  — 

Meet  with  the  blood-bought  throng,  to  fall, 

And  crown  our  .Jesus,  Lord  of  all  ! ” 


APPENDIX. 


SPECDIENS  OF  MICKOXESLIX  LANGUAGES. 

THE  IXJRU’S  I’KAYER  IX  THE  GILBERT  ISL.LKD  LAXGUAGE. 

Tamara  are  i kai'.iwa,  e na  tabuaki  aram.  E na  roko  ueam : E na 
tauaki  am  taeka  i aou  te  aba  n ai  aroii  tauana  i karaira.  Ko  ua  aiia- 
nira  karara  ae  ti  a tau  iai  n te  boii  aei.  Ao  ko  na  kabara  ara  buaka- 
ka  mairoura  u ai  arora  nkai  ti  kabara  te  buakaka  mairouia  akana 
ioawa  nako  ira.  Ao  tai  kairira  nakon  te  kaririaki,  ma  ko  na  kamaiuira 
man  te  buakaka;  ba  ambai  te  uea,  ao  te  maka,  ao  te  neboaki,  n aki 
toki.  Ameue. 

THE  lord’s  PRAYER  IX  THE  JIARSHALL  ISLAXD  L^VXGUAGE. 

Jememuij  i Ion,  en  kwojaijar  etom.  En  itok  am  ailin.  Jen  komon- 
mon  ankil  am  i lul  euwot  dri  Ion.  Itanin,  letok  non  kim  kijim  ranin: 
Im  jolok  amuij  jerawiwi,  emvot  kimuij  jolok  an  army  jerawiwi  jen  kim. 
Im  jab  tellok  non  mon,  ak  dreby  kim  jen  nana.  Ewe  am  ailin,  im 
kajur,  im  wijtak  in  drio.  Amen. 

THE  lord’s  prayer  IX  THE  KUSAIEAX  L^VXGUAGE. 

Papa  tumus  su  in  kosao,  A"los  oal  payi.  Togusaj  lalos  tuku. 
Orek  ma  nu  fwalu,  ou  elos  om  in  kosao.  Kite  kit  len  si  ini  ma  kut 
mono  misini;  A nunok  munas  uu  ses  ke  ma  koluk  las,  oanu  kut 
nunok  munas  sin  met  orek  ma  koluk  nu  ses.  A tiu  kol  kit  kut  in 
mel,  a es  kit  la  liki  ma  koluk,  tu  togusai  lalos,  a ku,  a mwolanu,  ma 
patpat.  Amen. 

FIRST  VERSE  OF  “ THEIUS  IS  A HAPPY  LAXD,”  IX  THE  TOX.^PEAX 
L.\XGL’AGE. 

“ Uaja  kajalelia, 

Meto,  meto, 

Uaja  en  ani  mau, 

Mamin,  mamin ; 

Ar  kaul  mek^jalel, 

Jijiy  kom  kamauri  kit, 

Kitail  kaul  laut  er  kaul, 

Kaul  meuare.” 


4 


